A Twist on Legend
by gilesc3
Summary: Emerlyn couldn't believe her life had taken this turn. All she'd wanted was to learn more about her gifts and she ended up as a servant to the most prattish prince she'd ever heard of. Life was so unfair. Fem!Merlin Please give it a try, it's really good, I promise!
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Well, I'm taking another shot at the 'what if Merlin was a girl' thing. I know it's been done a lot, but I can't get the story out of my head. I hope you like my version of Merlin, but know that the character is different from the one on the show. There will still be similarities, obviously, but I wanted her to be more…well just more. I hope you like this and please review to let me know what you think. I pictured my character to look like Kahlan Amnell, portrayed by Bridget Regan, in the **_**Legend of the Seeker**_**.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin or the characters. Also, any script from the show you see is, obviously, not mine and I'm only borrowing it for the story. I do not make any money from this work.**

Chapter 1: Welcome to Camelot

Emerlyn spun away from the gruesome sight of the man's execution. She couldn't even fathom the callousness that one's heart must hold to condemn a man to death simply for using magic. Something she herself had had since _birth_. Why would her mother send her to such a place?

Not able to come up with a likely answer, Emerlyn started towards some guards, wanting to find her destination quickly so that she didn't have to see the lifeless, and headless, body of a fellow magic user.

After being pointed in the right direction, Emerlyn quickly made her way into the castle and up the designated staircase. She came to a wooden door, and after not receiving a reply to her knock, she slowly pushed the door open.

"Hello? Gaius?" Her eyes caught movement from the loft, and she only got a quick glance of an old man before he was suddenly falling. Thinking quickly, Emerlyn sent one of the cots sliding towards the man. Thankfully, the mattress was able to take the sudden pressure without breaking.

"Are you alright?" Emerlyn asked and stepped towards him, not sure how soft his landing had been. She was afraid he might have broken something, which was definitely not a good first impression to have on your new guardian. Gaius scrambled up off the bed and stared at her, scarcely believing what had just happened.

"What did you just do?" Gaius demanded, although he already knew what the boy had done. Emerlyn's eyes widened as she remembered the execution she'd just left.

"I-I didn't do anything." _Please, please believe me. I don't want to die!_ Gaius gave her a look that clearly said he didn't believe her.

"I know _what_ you did! But how? Where did you study?" Gaius watched as the boy's face clouded over in confusion.

"I never studied. I don't know any spells." Emerlyn held up her hands, as if to show she was harmless.

"Don't be ridiculous! You had to have studied somewhere!"

"No I swear! I've never studied; I've never had anything _to_ study. I-I was born like this." Gaius scoffed at her response, indicating he still didn't believe her.

"That's impossible, no one's just born able to do magic." Emerlyn just shrugged at him, not sure what more he wanted from her. She just hoped he wouldn't betray her secret to the king.

"Who are you anyways?" Gaius asked, since the boy clearly wasn't going to give him a straight answer.

"Are you Gaius?" Emerlyn sighed in relief when he nodded, only now remembering her reason for being there. If her mother thought this man could help her, then surly he would keep her secret safe.

"I am." Emerlyn gave a small smile as she pulled out a folded letter from her pack.

"I have this letter for you."

"I don't have my reading glasses." Emerlyn paused as she handed him the parchment, sensing he still didn't trust her.

"I'm Emerlyn."

"Emerlyn? Hunith's daughter?" She nodded, not really sure why he had such a look of disbelief on his face.

"I find that hard to believe as you're a boy." Gaius shot out, edging his way towards the door so that he could call upon the guards. Clearly this person was deranged.

"Oh! Sorry. I forgot." Emerlyn muttered before closing her eyes, slowly releasing the illusion from her body. Before Gaius's eyes, the lanky boy turned into a slender girl, complete with the distinguishable curves of a female. Giving herself a little shake, Emerlyn smiled at the gob-smacked expression on her guardian's face.

"But…you've had to have studied! Illusions are not tricks easily learned!"

"I-I learned to do this when I was younger. I-it was easier to be a boy when strangers came into the village." She mumbled, giving another shrug. There was a reduced risk of her grabbing one of the man's attention by mascaraing as a boy, which her mother was thankful for.

"Oh…well put your pack up there." Gaius pointed to a door at the top of a few stairs. He wasn't really sure what to think anymore, as this young girl had just showed a level of magic that one so young should _not_ possess.

"You won't…tell anyone about…." Emerlyn trailed off, gesturing to the bed and fallen banister.

"No, I will keep your secret. Although I should say thanks Emerlyn, you saved my life." She gave him an embarrassed shrug before turning towards her room. The old man watched as she opened the door and entered the small room before he made his way over to a table. Picking up his reading glasses, Gaius unfolded Hunith's letter.

Emerlyn made her way into the dark room, softly closing the door behind her so that Gaius wouldn't see her do anymore magic. She could tell that he was already at his wits end trying to understand her, so she didn't want to push him anymore. Magic was such a part of her, that she couldn't even fathom _not_ using it, so she hoped he'd get used to it. As long as she was careful, Emerlyn didn't see a reason for her having to worry.

Scanning around the dark room, Emerlyn spotted what she thought was a bundle of candles. Making her way over to them, she gave a flick of her finger and they suddenly lit, casting the room in a soft, muted glow. Able to see at last, she made her way around the room, lighting all the candles until the room was properly lit.

Sitting down heavily on the bed, Emerlyn shrugged off her pack and closed her eyes, needing a minute to compose herself. It had been a long trek from Ealdor to Camelot, and she was starting to feel that strain, as she had had to walk the entire way.

Not to mention, she desperately missed her mother and Will; she missed her entire village really. She had never been away for so long, and Emerlyn was shocked at just how much she longed to return home.

_Stop it Em! You had to go before someone grew too fearful and turned you in. You've gotten a lot more powerful and they could all see it. This is for the best._

Getting her emotions under control, Emerlyn turned to her pack, slowly pulling out her belongings. She only had a few knick knacks, some spare clothes, and her toiletries, but she felt more at home when she began to place them around the room. She might be poor, but Emerlyn thought she had enough to keep her happy.

She placed her folded clothes in the cupboard, separating them into 'male' and female'. She owned another pair of trousers and tunic, and also two simple dresses, along with a variety of neckerchiefs. She didn't wear the dresses often, as she felt more comfortable in pants and didn't actually like a lot of 'girl' appropriate activities.

The only such activities that she was even competent at was sowing and soap making, as she made all her own clothes and soaps. Such skills were a necessity in Ealdor, where one didn't have ready access to markets.

Turning back to her pack, she pulled out the figurines her father had carved for her over the years. Some were of dragons, others were of her family; she even had one of a unicorn.

Tracing the lines of his face, she felt her heart clench with longing before she placed the knick knacks down on her side table (really an upturned crate), making sure they were secure. She didn't get to visit her father that often, so she didn't want to risk one of them falling and getting chipped or even breaking.

The last thing in her pack was her soaps, which she carefully extracted. Thankfully, the large jug of hair soap hadn't spilled, as it had taken her forever to come up with the proper ingredient levels for the soap to actually clean and not be just good-smelling water.

Once she had gotten the balance correct, her entire village had come to her for their own soap, as she was able to make it from plants that grew nearby, meaning it didn't cost anything to make. The same was true for her hard soap, which was also infused with jasmine and lavender, for their perfume and also their soothing properties.

Thankful she wouldn't have to make a new batch, Emerlyn carefully placed the jug and bars of soap on another upturned crate. She glanced around the room, hoping that it would start to feel more like home soon. After stashing her bag and bedroll into the cupboard, Emerlyn made her way over to the window, which she had to stand on a box to be able to reach. Pulling the wood back, she gasped at her first real sight of Camelot.

She was surprised the sun had already set and night had set in, but the view was so beautiful that Emerlyn didn't really care. The entire city was stretched out before her, for what seemed like miles, lit up by the flickering light of torches and candles. She had never been to a place so vast. Sure, the city of Camelot was not the only city within the kingdom, but she was sure it was the most breathtaking.

Emerlyn might hate being away from home, but she knew it had to be done. She knew Will would have never betrayed her, but there was never knowing with the other village folk. And after she had accidentally turned a sheep's wool coat yellow, her mother had sent her packing out of fear for Emerlyn's life.

So she would just have to make this new city her home and get over her homesickness. Feeling drained, Emerlyn stepped down from the box and moved away from the window, not wanting to see her new 'home' anymore.

/*/

After having dinner with Gaius, Emerlyn made her way back to her room. The exhaustion from her trip had settled into her muscles, and all she could do was sigh in relief when she turned in for the night.

Only her peaceful sleep was interrupted by a whispering voice in her head, calling her name as if whoever it was wanted her to come to them. Not knowing who it could be, or if it was merely her imagination, she decided to ignore the call. In a kingdom where magic was forbidden on pain of death, Emerlyn didn't want to be caught responding to a voice in her head.

/*/

The next morning, Emerlyn groaned as she rolled out of bed, her muscles aching from her long walk. Stretching, she frowned as she become aware of the fact that she smelled. She had completely forgotten to bathe the night before, and she didn't even want to attempt to take her hair out of its long braid for fear of the oily knots. She pulled on her breeches from the day before and made her way out of the room.

"I got you water. You didn't wash last night." Gaius said when he heard her walking down the stairs.

"Oh thank you Gaius! I'd hoped to be able to this morning."

"Well, help yourself to some breakfast." Emerlyn nodded, although she tried not to grimace at the clumpy porridge. It's not like she hadn't eaten the same thing her whole life; she'd just hoped that living in a city meant one would have more access to a variety of food.

Gaius glanced at her before ever so 'accidently' knocking the water bucket off the table. Before he could even lift a hand to try and stop it, Emerlyn's eyes blazed gold and the bucket and water stopped in midair as she sprang to her feet. Instead of allowing the water to go to waste, since he'd already seen her do magic, Emerlyn forced the water back into the bucket and plucked it out of the air.

"How did you do that? Did you…incant a spell in your head?" Gaius demanded. Emerlyn shook her head.

"I told you I don't know any spells Gaius, it's just…reflex. I can't help it, sometimes it just happens. But most of the time it's on purpose." She gave a shrug, not sure what else she could say to convince him that she had not studied magic.

"Wh-what do you mean 'on purpose'?" Gaius asked.

Emerlyn glanced around before looking down at the bucket in her hands. Her mind made up, she made her way over to some clear floor before setting the bucket down. Gaius watched, confused as to what she had in store, as Emerlyn kneeled on the floor before placing her hands on the wood. Before his eyes, she literally seemed to stretch the wood out until the bucket was the size of an overly large bathtub, extra water included.

Emerlyn glanced up at him when she heard his gasp of shock. Her gift must really be something he'd never seen before, if his reaction was anything to go by. _So what does that make you Em? Why do you have these powers? Are you a monster?_ Her inner thoughts were cut off when Gaius tapped her shoulder, wanting to draw her diverted attention back to him.

"That is…very impressive, Emerlyn. I've never seen anything like it, to be honest. We'll have to keep you out of trouble." The last sentence was said with an arched brow, which made her roll her eyes.

She didn't always s get into trouble! More often than not, trouble just seemed to find _her_. The two moved back over to their breakfasts, not speaking of the new tub Gaius had apparently acquired.

"You can help me until I find some paid work for you." Gaius said as he stood and handed her some potions with instructions for their patients.

"Sure Gaius, no problem. Only…do you think I could get that bath first?" Emerlyn asked quietly, not wanting to set him off again on her magic use. She still didn't really know Gaius, so she wasn't sure how he would react if she kept doing magic in front of him.

"How did you manage that?" Gaius asked, pointing to the tub, which only earned another shrug.

"I-I lived in a village, Gaius, so my magic has really helped me whenever I needed it; like when I wanted to bathe instead of just using a bowl. It's just natural now to use it to help me when I need it. I've been able to do that specific thing since I was twelve." Emerlyn mumbled. Gaius just shook his head at her, still flabbergasted at her abilities.

"Just…just be careful Emerlyn. If anyone else were to see you using magic, you'd be headed to the block. You can't get away with using it at every turn here, like you did in Ealdor." Emerlyn nodded, feeling like a small child again under his gaze.

"I'll head out for my rounds. Don't forget to take those potions when you leave." Gaius grabbed his medicine bag and strode out of the chamber.

Emerlyn sighed as the door closed, thankful he was gone. She was overwhelmed with gratitude for him taking her in and keeping her secret, but Gaius was definitely going to try and suppress her magic, something that she thought was a fruitless endeavor.

Going back to her room, Emerlyn grabbed her soaps before stripping out of her dirty clothes and heading back into the main chamber. The air was cool on her naked skin, causing her to give a slight shiver as she made her way over to the tub. Placing her soaps down next to the tub, she dipped her finger in the water and waited until it warmed against her digit.

Satisfied with the temperature, Emerlyn glanced around until she saw a washcloth and a comb. She grabbed both before she undid her braid, slowly working the comb through the messy knots until finally, her hair was untangled and ready to be washed. Stepping into the warm water, she gave out a contented sigh as she sunk up until her chin, letting the warm water soother her aching muscles.

Moving a little forward, she dunked her head into the water so that all her hair was wet. Leaning over the rim, she grabbed her jug and poured a medium amount on her palm, knowing she was going to have to scrub at her scalp to get it completely clean. It had, after all, been days since she'd last bathed.

The girl was so preoccupied with messaging the soap into her scalp that she didn't hear the chamber door open.

/*/

Arthur strode through the door arrogantly, planning to tell Gaius his father needed him. But the words died in his throat when he saw a woman bathing in the middle of the chamber, her hands working through her hair.

He gulped when she dunked her head back to rinse the suds out of the black locks, her head rising back out of the water like a phantom from a dream.

He knew he should not be here, as it was entirely inappropriate to spy on a woman bathing, but Arthur couldn't seem to break his gaze. Especially when the woman lifted her hair off her back and shoulders, spinning it around her head until it was locked into a bun, leaving the entire expense of her shoulders bare to his eyes.

Her skin was a silky milk white that glistened from the water, and Arthur had the strongest urge to run his hand down her neck to feel if the skin was as soft as it looked.

When she reached over the rim to grab a bar of soap, Arthur was finally able to break the trance. Not really sure what to do, as he did _not_ want to alert her to his presence, as a prince should never be caught doing something so inappropriate. Figuring Gaius would eventually see his father, Arthur quickly made his way out of the chamber, making sure to close the door as quietly as possible.

/*/

Emerlyn shook her head as she made her way out of the castle, Sir Olwen's actions being very amusing. She didn't have any money currently, but she wanted to get familiar with her new home. She had just made her way out of the citadel courtyard when her attention was caught by loud voices.

"Where's the target? It shouldn't be in the sun." A boy Emerlyn guess was some type of noble arrogantly called to the servant that was holding a large wooden circle, which she guessed was the 'target'. Emerlyn scowled at the smugness that just oozed out of his every pore, not believing anyone would talk down to someone else just because they could.

"It's not that bright." The servant responded, which just made the other boy respond with a condescending smirk.

"A bit like you then." The blonde's response earned him chuckles from his buddies. Emerlyn couldn't hear what else he said, but suddenly he started throwing _knives_ at the unprepared servant.

"Hey, hang on!" The servant cried, clearly not ready for the onslaught.

"Don't stop." Emerlyn felt her temper rising as the prat continued to torture the servant, even demanding he run back and forth for a 'moving target'. When he dropped the target and it rolled to her feel, Emerlyn couldn't stop herself from stepping on the wood.

"Hey, c'mon that's enough." She said, glaring at the blonde, who turned to look at her in disbelief.

"What?" He demanded, clearly irritated that anyone would dare stop his fun.

"You've clearly had your fun my friend. Don't you think it's time to stop trying to humiliate a servant and actually do something important with your time?" Emerlyn tried to stop herself, but the words just kept pouring out of her mouth, with no regard to her wishes.

"Do I know you?" The boy asked as he made his way over. She tried not to be intimidated as his armor clad form got closer. He was a prat and it served him right, but he _was_ bigger than her.

"No, I don't believe we've had the unfortunate luck as of to have met until this moment. I'm Emerlyn."

"So I don't know you, and yet, you called me friend." Emerlyn rolled her eyes at him, clearly not impressed with his attempt at intimidation.

"That was my mistake. A simple slip of the tongue. I'd never have a friend that could be such an ass." Emerlyn replied before turning and walking away.

"Or I one that could be so stupid." The boy's voice rang out, causing her to look back at him.

"Tell me, Emerlyn, do you know how to walk on your knees?"

"No, and to do such I fear would be highly unsuitable. Do you not agree, _Sir_?" Emerlyn asked, arching an eye brow at him and twirled the end of her long braid around her fingers, as if to highlight the fact that she was female, even though she was wearing men's clothing.

The blonde looked surprised at her response, clearly not expecting it. Taking the pause as her escape, Emerlyn made her way further into the lower town, confident he wouldn't actually try and follow her.

/*/

"I heard you got into quite the situation today." Gaius said when Emerlyn came through the door. She paused, surprised he knew already, before she continued into the chamber.

"It was nothing. Just this bully of a boy being nasty to a servant." Emerlyn gave a shrug as she sat down in front of him and grabbed a bowl of stew.

"That…bully is Prince Arthur, son of Uther Pendragon." Gaius statement was met with a spray of stew to his face and a shocked ward.

"Oh, I'm so sorry Gaius! I had no idea the jerk was a prince…although that does account for his arrogant disregard to everyone else and his love of torment."

"Emerlyn, you must be more careful! You could have wound up in the stocks, or worse!" Emerlyn gave a noncommittal sound, clearly not too bothered by it. Gaius just hoped that the head strong young woman didn't land herself in trouble.

/*/

Emerlyn made her way back into town the next day, wanting to buy some ribbon for her hair. She might not like wearing dresses often, as they restricted her movements; but she did like lacing ribbons through her hair.

It allowed her to feel like a girl, without being 'girly'. Thankfully, she had been able to finagle a few silver pieces from Gaius for her 'help', so she quickly made her way back into town, thankful she didn't run into the prat prince again.

"Hello, I'm Guinevere. Most people call me Gwen." A voice sounded from her side, pulling Emerlyn out of her contemplation on whether to buy the blue ribbon or the white one.

"I'm Emerlyn, pleased to meet you." She said, shaking the dark-skinned girl's hand with a smile.

"What you did yesterday was very brave! Standing up to Arthur like that. Not many people have the courage to do such a thing." Gwen gushed, obviously awed by the other girl's boldness.

"I didn't know who he was, actually. But he was being a prat and needed to be told so." Emerlyn replied with a shrug. She chose the white ribbon and gave a coin to the vendor.

"Well everyone thinks you were a real hero. Arthur was being a bully and you stood up to him." Emerlyn's cheeks flushed as the other girl continued to praise her, not used to such fawning.

"It was really nothing." She said as the two turned away from the vendor.

"Well, it meant a lot to us. So you're new right? I've never seen you before."

"Ah yes, I got in a few days ago. I'm living with Gaius, the court physician."

"Oh! I'm Lady Morgana's maid, so I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot of each other." Emerlyn smiled at Gwen as they headed towards the citadel.

"That'd be nice, as I don't know anyone here besides Gaius."

The thought of actually making a friend in her new home thrilled the young witch. Especially having one that would obviously know about all the rules and regulations for one living in Camelot and so close to the King.

The two said their goodbyes in the main courtyard, with Gwen heading back to her mistress and Emerlyn going home for lunch.

/*/

Emerlyn glanced back at Lady Helen's closed door, the sense of foreboding filling her being. If Gaius said Uther had band all forms of magic 20 years ago, then why did the Lady have items that looked magical? Surely she would get into trouble, even if she was of noble birth, if such items were discovered?

Not really knowing what to do with such knowledge, she made her way back out of the castle, heading to town. She was getting tired of running Gaius's errands and she was hoping she would be able to find some paid work. Maybe as a seamstress or soap maker. She also wanted to start meeting the citizens of Camelot, since she liked knowing everyone around he, something that came from living in a small village.

Spying the dressmaker's stall, Emerlyn headed over. She wasn't exactly sure how one went about inquiring about work, so she hoped she didn't make a fool of herself.

"See anythin' you like dearie?" The older woman asked when Emerlyn stopped in front of her wares. She wasn't sure if she would actually have anything the girl would want, as she as wearing breeches and a tunic, and she only sold gowns; but she was always hoping to make a sell.

"Actually, I was hoping to inquire if you needed an extra pair of hands?"

"Aw, I'm sorry dearie, but my niece is comin' in a few days to help me out. I don' know for sure, but Abigail might need some help."

"Thank you for the suggestion." Emerlyn said with a smile, turning to make her way further into town. But before she got far, a deep blue material caught her eye, causing her to stop and walk back to the stall.

The material was actually a pretty blue gown of silk and velvet, the material slipping smoothly through her fingertips. It wasn't anything outrageous, as there were no jewels or gems to adorn it, but Emerlyn thought she'd never seen a prettier dress. And this was coming from someone who didn't actually _like_ dresses.

"How's your knee walking coming along?" Emerlyn sighed in defeat before turning away from the gown, sending the prince a glare. Why couldn't she just be left alone? Why did this egotistical prince have to keep irritating her?

"Look, I've told you you're an ass. I just didn't realize you were a royal one. So why do you keep bothering me?" Emerlyn asked, hand going to her hip to show her annoyance. Arthur gave her a half amused/half vexed look.

"You cannot address me like that!" Emerlyn rolled her eyes at him, clearly showing him how little she actually cared about what he thought.

"Why's that? Are you going to throw me in the dungeons because I don't fawn on you, _my lord_?"

Arthur could not believe the cheekiness of this mere peasant. **No one** had ever spoken to him in such a dismissive and disrespectful manner, and Arthur couldn't figure out if he admired her for it or not.

"Because I am of noble, _royal_, birth and that demands respect."

"I only respect those that **earn** it, sire. All I've seen you do is pick on a servant for the amusement of yourself and your friends. Nothing in that behavior is respectful, so I refuse to show something you have not earned." Emerlyn said, tilting her head up slightly to show she did not regret her words.

"You're very brave, even if you're an idiot." Arthur's statement earned another eye roll, something he was thinking was almost a twitch with the girl, she did it so often.

"It is not bravery when one simply speaks the truth."

"There's something about you Emerlyn. I can't quite put my finger on it." Arthur gave her a slightly perplexed look.

"Well, I'm sure you'll inform me when you figure that out. Excuse me." Emerlyn said, giving a slight curtsey (although it pained her) and walked away, leaving the prince staring after her.

/*/

Emerlyn had spent hours just walking around the lower town, meeting as many people as she could to try and get to know everyone. She also spent her time getting familiar with the city, knowing it was going to take her several tries before she was able to memorize the large city.

But thankfully for her, Camelot seemed to be on a grid system, so she was usually able to make her way back to the main road, which went from the front gates all the way up through the city to the citadel courtyard.

Unfortunately, she hadn't been able to find work, as Abigail had not needed another hand and she hadn't been able to find anyone else who did. She hoped Gaius would have better luck finding her work, as her attempt was a failure. But he lived here, knew the people, so she was sure he would be able to find her _something_.

Emerlyn slowly made her way back to Gaius's when it started getting dark, not wanting him to begin to worry. She knew that keeping her secret would be hard on him, especially living so closely to the King, so Emerlyn didn't want to add any more stress to the poor man's shoulders. When she got home, Gaius was pouring dinner into their bowls.

"Hello Gaius." Emerlyn greeted her guardian with a bright smile, giving the old man a slight hug.

Gaius was startled at the contact, but lightly patted her shoulder, figuring it was because she was a 'girl'. For her part, Emerlyn was also surprised at the hug, but she was finding herself beginning to actually _like_ the physician, even if he was too cautions for her liking.

"Ah Emerlyn, just in time for dinner. So, how was your day? Do anything interesting?" She gave him a confused look, hearing the underlying current in his questions, as if he knew something she didn't.

"It was okay I guess, kinda boring. No one needs any help, so I still haven't found work. I just wandered around the city, trying to get to know it better. Nothing very exciting." Emerlyn responded before taking a sip of the stew. She wasn't sure how many nights a week he planned on feeding her soup, but she hoped to have a change soon.

"Hmm, so you didn't have another run in with the prince?"

"Uh-well yes, but I didn't **do** anything, I promise! He prattled, I replied. That was it, no blows were exchanged, promise."

"It must have been a very interesting conversation then."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because he left a gift for you. It's in your room." Gaius said nonchalantly, holding in a snicker when she chocked on a piece of beef before she hurried up to her room.

Emerlyn approached her bed, and the wrapped bundle, cautiously. Prince Arthur surely wouldn't give her anything dangerous, like poisonous snakes, right? She hadn't wounded his pride that bad, or at least she hoped she hadn't. When there was no movement or sound from the package, she gingerly extracted the folded parchment from the tied string.

_Emerlyn, _

_You are truly unlike anyone I have ever known. You might find this difficult to believe, but your words have truly unsettled me. If the people only see me as a spoiled bully, then they do not respect me and I must work to change that. To thank you for being brutally honest, I purchased this for you, as I saw the longing on your face. _

_AP_

She read and reread the note, not really sure what to think. Arthur had been nothing but conceited so far, so she wasn't really prepared to see a softer side to him.

Laying the note aside, she gingerly picked up the bundle and started unwrapping it. When the blue material spilled into her hands, Emerlyn couldn't contain her gasp of shock. Prat Prince Arthur had bought her the dress she'd longed for!

_Why in the world would he give me such a fine gift? I hope he doesn't think he'll be getting anything but a thank you for it. It's even more beautiful off the rack!_

"The prince bought you a gown? Why in the heavens would he do that?" Emerlyn turned at the flabbergasted voice, giving Gaius a shrug. She couldn't stop herself from lightly spinning around the room, loving the way the skirt flared out while she twirled.

"I guess our conversation was a lot more meaningful than I thought it was." Gaius shook his head in disbelief; never even thinking such a thing would occur. Emerlyn was more of a handful than he had ever thought possible.

"Do you have a mannequin? I need to drape this over something so I can fit it." Emerlyn asked, not even paying attention to her guardian as she continued to twirl around the room. She might not act like a girl most of the time, but she found herself unable to resist.

"I'm sure I can find something." Gaius said before exiting the room, in search for something of use. Emerlyn just swayed around the room, humming to herself, as if in the middle of a dance.

/*/

_Emerlyn._

Shooting awake, Emerlyn groaned as the voice once more sounded in her head. Why couldn't whoever this was leave her alone? She just wanted to get a decent night's sleep!

_Emerlyn._

Sighing in resignation, she stood from her bed and pulled her clothes back on. The voice, whoever it was, most likely would not stop pestering her until she investigated.

Making her way as quietly as possible out of the chamber, she almost had a stroke when Gaius suddenly turned over. Thankfully, he was still snoring, so she figured she was in the clear.

_Emerlyn._

Following the sound of the voice, Emerlyn really hopped she didn't get caught. She wasn't sure if she could come up with a plausible excuse as to why she was wandering around the castle this late at night.

As the voice continued to sound through her head, she was led to the dungeons, where she had to distract two guards before safely making her way even farther below the castle.

_Emerlyn._

Rolling her eyes at the persistent voice, she tried to quicken her pace, making her way through underground tunnels and staircases. _Who would be down here this late at night?_ She wondered, but when she saw heaps of rubble, she had to wonder why anyone would actually come down here at all. _Wait…Gaius said Uther had a dragon locked up underneath the castle. Maybe that's who's calling me! A Dragon! How amazing would that be?_

Finally reaching her destination, which she figured since she was now on a rock outcrop that overlooked a giant cave. _Definitely the dragon then._

"Where are you?" She yelled out, not sure if the beast would hear her or not.

She raised her torch to try and see further into the cavern, but everything was in shadows from the flame and the moonlight that peeked in through some openings. There was a gust of wind and the sound of giant wings flapping before a golden dragon zoomed out of the shadows, coming to land on the middle rock formation in front of her.

"I am here." Emerlyn really shouldn't have been surprised that it could talk, as it had clearly spoken to her in her mind. But even so, she found herself shocked that he could in fact speak in a human tongue. The dragon moved its head this way and that, as if trying to see all of her.

"How small you are for such a great destiny." Well that peaked her interest.

"What do you mean? What destiny? I've never heard of anything to do with my destiny."

"Your gift Emerlyn, was given to you for a reason."

"So there is a reason." Emerlyn almost mumbled to herself, but the dragon seemed to hear her as it gave a slight nod.

"Arthur is the once and future king who will unite the land of Albion."

"That's great and all, but I don't see what that has to do with me. I don't care what Arthur's meant to do, just as long as he leaves me alone. He is such a prat!" Emerlyn said, although she felt herself begin to doubt her own words when she remembered the pretty blue dress in her room.

"His destiny has _everything_ to do with you, Emerlyn! He will face many threats from friend and foe alike, and it is _your_ destiny to protect him." The dragon's voice boomed out.

"Um, I think you have your facts wrong. I don't think I'll be protecting him from anything! If someone wants to kill him, than by all means, I won't stop them. I might even help him. And, anyways, how do I know anything you say is true? I don't even know you!"

"There is no right or wrong. Only what is." Emerlyn rolled her eyes at his cryptic words.

"That doesn't answer as to why I should actually believe you." Emerlyn said as she took a step back towards the archway, not sure if he would try to fry her.

"I am a creature of magic, just as you are Emerlyn. I have seen what is to come to pass, and the words I speak ring true. None of us can choose our destiny, Emerlyn. And none of us can escape it." The dragon boomed before taking flight once more, leaving a confused witch in his wake.

"Wait! Wait! Stop! I need to know more!" It was useless, as the dragon just kept flying up and up until settling on some rock, his giant chain hanging down beneath him.

Sighing in frustration at the hard headed lizard, Emerlyn made her way back to her rooms, not really sure what to believe or do with this new information.

/*/

"C'mon it's time to get out of bed!" Emerlyn was jerked out of her sleep by Gaius, who had thrown her trousers at her. She was so tired! It felt like she'd only just closed her eyes when he woke her.

Trying to stifle a yawn, Emerlyn set up in bed and turned to stare at her guardian in irritation. Gaius ignored the glare he received.

"I need you to get me some herbs. Henbane, wormwood, and sorrel. And deliver this to Morgana. The poor girl's suffering from nightmares." Gaius said, handing her a flask of tonic.

"Don't I even get to eat or bathe?" Emerlyn asked, her voice betraying her irritation and tiredness.

"Maybe next time you won't sleep so late." Was her only response as Gaius strode back out of her room. Sometimes, she really wished she could just go back to Ealdor, where everything was so much simpler.

/*/

Finally reaching the Lady Morgana's chambers, after getting lost several times, Emerlyn was about to knock when she noticed the door was already open. Stepping into the room, she only got a glimpse of silky black hair and a blue gown before the lady walked behind her changing screen.

"You know I've been thinking about Arthur. I wouldn't touch him with a lance pole. Pass me that dress, will you, Gwen?" The pretty voice sounded from behind the screen.

"Ah, my lady, I'm not Gwen." Emerlyn said, not wanting to be caught and get into trouble for Morgana not knowing she was there. The woman's head popped out from behind the screen, her green eyes widening before she stepped back out.

"Who are you? What are you doing in my chambers?" Emerlyn held up the tonic.

"I'm Emerlyn, Gaius's ward. He wanted me to give this to you for your nightmares. The door was open, my lady." Morgana made her way over to her, taking the flask.

"Emerlyn is it? You're that girl that stood up to Arthur, right?" Emerlyn felt herself blush again, especially at the satisfied gleam in the lady's eyes.

"Um…yes my lady, that was I."

"I wished I could have seen his face! He's not stopped complaining about it for days!" Morgana giggled, delighted to actually meet the 'infuriating' girl herself. Emerlyn just shrugged, not really sure what was appropriate behavior for such an incident.

"Well, thank you for delivering this. I hope it works better than the last one."

"I'm sure it will, my lady. And between you and me, I wouldn't touch him with a lance pole either. Have a nice day." Emerlyn gave her a bright smile before curtsying and leaving.

_So that was the girl Arthur can't stop talking about. She's very pretty, I'll give her that. And she's got a backbone, that's for sure. Well, no bother, no one will be able to look away from me tonight._ Morgana smiled to herself as she thought about the burgundy dress she would wear, sure it would keep the prince's attention firmly planted on her.

/*/

Emerlyn gasped in shock as the air was forced out of her body by the heavy prince, who had landed on top of her when she pulled him from the seat. He stared down at her, surprised beyond words, not really believing what had just happened. The mouthy girl he'd given a dress to had saved his life!

"S-sire, I cannot breathe." Emerlyn wheezed out, lightly pushing at his shoulders.

Arthur's eyes widened before he quickly got to his feet, offering a hand to help her up. The hall was stunned silent by the almost death of their prince, so the encounter went unnoticed by the distracted audience.

"You saved my boy's life." Uther said, coming over to the pair with a look of disbelief and gratitude on his face. Emerlyn fidgeted under his gaze, acutely aware that she had just used magic in front of the king.

"Well…"

"Don't be so modest. You shall be rewarded."

"Honestly, you don't have to, Your Highness. It was nothing."

"No, absolutely. This merits something quite special. And I know just what to give you." Emerlyn almost stepped back at the feral grin that appeared on his face.

"You shall be given a position in the Royal Household. Since Arthur cannot seem to keep a manservant, you will become his maid. I'm sure you will be able to outlast the last servant." Feeling her heart sink at such a 'reward', Emerlyn shared a look of horror with Arthur as the king walked away and the hall started clapping.

"Father!" Arthur said in outrage, not believing his own father would subject him to actually having to be around the girl that had torn him down. And by the crestfallen look on her face, Emerlyn did not want the position any more than he did.

/*/

_I cannot believe that I save the prat's life and I now get to be his servant! Now I have to wait on him hand and foot! This is ridiculous!_ Emerlyn was pulled from her thoughts when Gaius entered her room, carrying something wrapped in a red cloth.

"Seems you're a hero."

"Hard to believe, isn't it?" Emerlyn gave a small smile.

"No. I knew it from the moment I met you. You saved my life, remember."

"But that was magic." Emerlyn said, standing from her chair to lean against the table.

"And now it seems we've finally found a use for it." Gaius said, smiling kindly at her.

"What do you mean?"

"I saw how you saved Arthur's life." Emerlyn winced.

"Perhaps that's its purpose." At Gaius's statement, Emerlyn was flashed back to the dragon and his speech.

"My destiny."

"Indeed. This book was given to me when I was your age, but I've a feeling it will be of more use to you than it was to me." Gaius said, handing her the red package.

Emerlyn looked up at him in surprise before she pulled the cloth away, showing a leather bound book. Opening it, she was shocked to see spells and writings in the ancient tongue.

"But this is a book of magic?"

"Which is why you must keep it hidden." Gaius said, stressing the importance of keeping the book safe and from prying eyes.

"I will study every word." Gaius grinned at the reverence in her tone. The two were interrupted by a knock at the door.

"Merlin! Prince Arthur wants you right away!" A guard yelled through the door.

"You destiny's calling. You'd better find out what he wants." Emerlyn sighed before nodding, setting the book down on the table before making her way out of the chambers. And her duties as the prat prince's maid have begun. _I really hate the Pendragons sometimes!_

**Okay, so what do you guys think? Please review and let me know!**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Thanks for those of you who read and reviewed. I hope you all enjoy this new chapter.**

Styx: I'm so happy you liked the first chapter! I know it's been done to death, but I'm hoping to put a spin on the entire series with Emerlyn. I tried making her similar to Merlin from the show, but still be her own person with her own quirks and stuff. I hope you like this chapter and please let me know what you think! Thanks!

Guest: Thanks so much! I loved your review! I'm honored you think so highly of the story already! I love the show and this story has literally been in the back of my mind for almost a year. So I'm glad I've finally gotten to a point where I fully understand my characters so I can write them well. As for Emerlyn, I thought it was weird that Merlin didn't know anything about his magic before the show. I know guys mature slower than girls, but he would have been 18 or 19 in season one, so I just think it's unlikely that stuff wouldn't have happened before. So that's why I made Emerlyn know more about her gifts, since I thought it made sense. I hope you like this chapter and please let me know! Thanks!

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Merlin.**

Chapter Two: A Not so Noble Knight

Emerlyn scowled when Arthur dropped the heavy helmet atop her head. This was utterly ridiculous! The prat was obviously just trying to torment her. It wasn't _her_ fault he'd almost been skewered and Uther had made her his servant. If she had her choice, she'd be anywhere else.

"Are you ready?" Arthur asked, obviously trying to hold in his chuckles.

"Would it matter if I said I wasn't?" she pushed the helmet back so she could see out of the eye slits. Arthur gave her an arrogant smirk and shoulder shrug.

"No." Emerlyn felt her eyes once more roll in her head; if she didn't get a handle on that knee-jerk reaction, her eyes were bound to get stuck that way.

"I still do not understand why _I_ am out here!"

"The tournament starts tomorrow _Emerlyn_. I need to train." The response earned him a blue-eyed glare.

"Of course, _sire_. But wouldn't you benefit better from training with someone of your own caliber?" Arthur once more felt a smug smirk working its way across his face.

"It's alright Emerlyn, you'll get better. Eventually."

"I know you're only doing this to be mean!" She got another shrug before Arthur raised his sword and started swinging. Arrogant, big headed, pratty prince! She really hated her life sometimes.

/*/

Emerlyn trudged through the door, her body aching and head pounding. Arthur was a complete and utter clotpole! He really was a horrible person who delighted in others' pain. If ever she wanted to throttle him _and_ Uther, destiny be damned, now would be that time.

"So, how was your first day as Arthur's servant?" Gaius asked, his voice betraying his amusement at the glare she sent his way.

"Do you hear clanging? I swear he hit me in the head just because he thinks it's funny when my brain rattles in my skull! He's nothing but a pompous, annoying bully!" Emerlyn almost snarled to her guardian before sliding down onto a stool. Gaius hid a chuckle as he came over to massage her aching shoulders.

"Yes, such a bully that purchases that beautiful gown for you." That just earned him an irritated huff.

"Clearly he had a momentary lapse in personality when he bought it! And buying a person a gift does not excuse one's behavior, Gaius! Not only has he tortured me today, but I've got to learn all about tournament etiquette by tomorrow! What a git!" the physician just gave a noncommittal sound, finding his ward's predicament highly entertaining. That was until she magically slid the book on such etiquette over to her.

"What have I told you about using magic?" Gaius demanded with a slap upside her head.

"I can't feel my arms Gaius! And I haven't had a chance to use magic today and I need to burn up the excess."

"What do you mean?" Gaius questioned, not understanding.

"If I don't use at least a little magic each day, it builds up inside me until it…uh…explodes would be the best word." Emerlyn muttered the last bit, making Gaius have to strain his old ears to hear her.

"Explodes?!" Gaius exclaimed, having never heard of such a thing. Emerlyn gave an embarrassed shrug, ducking her head down into the open book.

"Emerlyn." She sighed at his irritated tone, knowing she could not simply ignore him.

"Back in Ealdor, a few winters past, there was a little…accident. I had gone through a…power surge I guess. I tried to suppress my magic, as mother was worried about drawing the villagers' attention. So I didn't use any magic for several days; but with each day that passed, the magic just continued to build within me until I could hardly move for fear of unleashing it. Mother was, thankfully, able to get me out into the words before anything happened."

"What exactly occurred?" Gaius asked, enthralled with her tale. Not only was she _born_ with magic, but apparently also does not have a _choice_ as if to use it or not.

"I-it was as if I was burning inside out. My insides felt engulfed in flames, I thought my skin was actually peeling off! It was the most painful experience of my life, Gaius. W-when the magic finally escaped from my body, I…I leveled a quarter mile of forest. I lost complete control of my powers and could do nothing but let it escape."

"You demolished a quarter mile of forest?" The disbelief was clear in his voice, but Emerlyn wasn't bothered by it. If she hadn't actually been present during the event, she doubted she'd believe it either.

"Heavens above!" Gaius gasped, sitting heavily on a stool. His ward just continued to surprise him with not only her abilities, but with her raw power.

"Yes, so you can understand now why I must use up all my excess magic throughout the day. It would be catastrophic if I were to ever lose control near Camelot."

"You are correct Emerlyn; that can **never** be allowed to happen. Just do be careful, will you? I don't know what I'd do if you were ever caught." Gaius squeezed her hand before standing to make dinner.

"What would you do Gaius?" Emerlyn asked, watching her guardian pull a chicken off the flames.

"Let's not find out." She smiled at his response before turning back to her book.

/*/

"What do I owe the honor of your presence, young witch?" The great dragon inquired when the girl came into view. Emerlyn just shrugged before carefully easing herself down onto the ground, taking care not to burn herself with the torch.

"I…well you've been stuck here alone for so long, I thought you might want some company. And I've read as much about tournament etiquette as I can bear at the moment."

"Ah yes, it is that time of the year again." The dragon said as he made himself more comfortable on his perch.

"So I guess you were right, about Arthur needing help. The idiot was almost stabbed the other night. Although, I can understand the woman's anger, as she was apparently the mother of a man Uther had executed on my day of arrival. I would imagine she saw it as a 'son for a son'." Emerlyn rambled, still not really sure why she had decided to come visit.

"Yes, Uther has made an enemy out of many who would have supported him had he not condemned magic." The dragon's voice rumbled. Emerlyn nodded in agreement, completely understanding people's anger at the tyrannical king.

"It's just bothersome that Arthur will be the target of most of their attacks. Why not just kill Uther?"

"To kill Arthur would completely break Uther. He would not be able to bear the loss and guilt if Arthur was killed. Camelot would be in ruins, making it much easier to destroy."

"You're right, of course. I just hate that I have to protect the caffler."

"As I've said before, we cannot escape our destinies." Emerlyn just scowled and tossed a rock off the side of the platform.

"Doesn't make it any easier. He's a complete and utter blighter who just likes to torture his unfortunate servants. Did I tell you Uther made me his bloody **servant** as a _reward_ for saving the prat's life? How is that even remotely a reward?"

"Destiny works in mysterious ways, young witch." She just huffed in irritation, just the thought of Arthur blackening her mood.

"Well, it obviously likes to make my life difficult. I better go, as I have to be up at dawn to be at the prince's beck and call."

The dragon watched in amusement as Emerlyn got up and stormed away. The young witch had a very long road ahead of her, one that intertwined with the young Pendragon's. She better get comfortable, or else she was going to be miserable for a very long time.

/*/

"Thanks for helping me Gwen. I've never even been around armor before coming here, let alone know how to put it on." Emerlyn said as Gwen helped her back out of Arthur's armor.

"It was really no problem Emerlyn. I know all about armor, which is a little sad."

"Oh no Gwen, it's brilliant! Just think, if you ever get involved with a knight, you'll know how to get him out of the armor at night, and how to put it back on in the morning!"

"Emerlyn!" Gwen flushed and tried to swat her, but the ebony haired girl just dodged and ran from the house. Her musical laughter trailed behind her, causing people to stop and watch in bemusement as she dashed past, her thin frame almost bowing with the wait of the armor.

She was just glad that she only had the outer pieces of armor and not the chainmail suit or sword, as Emerlyn doubted she'd be able to move as quickly. She finally made it to the outside of the arena, where Arthur was waiting impatiently.

"Good morning, sire." Emerlyn said cheerfully, not willing to let her dislike for him to cloud her good mood. Arthur glared daggers at the girl, not believing her nerve.

"Where have you been? The tournament's about to start!"

Emerlyn just ignored him and began attaching metal pieces to his chainmail covered body, trying to remember where everything went. Arthur huffed in irritation with how long it was taking the idiotic servant to prepare him.

"You do know the tournament starts today?"

"Yes sire." Emerlyn said, rolling her eyes at his impatience. It wasn't her fault the stupid clasp wasn't working properly!

Finally getting the wrist guard on securely, Emerlyn moved around him, checking each pieces before grabbing his red clock. She tried to not notice how close their bodies were, or the hot breath that fanned her face as she tied the cloak on.

"Are you nervous?" She questioned, more to fill the silence than to get a real answer.

"I don't get nervous." Was his arrogant, exasperated response. Emerlyn could tell he was totally lying and decided to call his bluff, not willing to give up the opportunity.

"Really? I thought everyone got nervous." She tried not to look smug.

"Will you shut up?" Arthur exclaimed, beyond vexed with the girl. He didn't need her reminding him of the churning in his belly; he was more than aware of it already. Emerlyn bit her lip when she handed him his helmet, trying not to snicker.

"Great. Yeah. I think you're all set." Arthur gave an incredulous look, clearly showing he thought she was beyond stupid.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Arthur questioned through gritted teeth, not believing the imbecile. Whatever had possessed him to get the idiot that dress had completely evaporated. She gave him a confused look, evidently not seeing anything wrong.

"My _sword_?" Her eyes widened before she gave him a sheepish smile and dashed over to get it from the weapons rack.

"Yeah. Yeah. Sorry." Arthur just glared at her again before marching off, cursing the buffoon all the way. Emerlyn just shrugged before hurrying after him to watch the tournament, hoping no one would try and kill the dollophead.

/*/

Emerlyn lumbered into her room, the overflowing items in her hands falling about with clangs and thuds. There really was _no_ need for her to have to repair and polish all of Arthur's equipment, since it'd just get messed up again tomorrow. No, Arthur was just keeping to his prattish ways and torturing his servant.

She hadn't even been able to read more than two pages out of her new spell book, which Emerlyn thought was unforgivable. Instead, she'd been running after the arse the entire day, fetching him anything and everything he required, most of which Emerlyn knew was just bullocks.

With that thought, the witch quickly had the chores doing themselves in midair. She smiled happily to herself and walked over to the floorboard she'd hidden her book under. Spell tome in hand, Emerlyn made herself comfortable on her bed and cracked the old cover, diving into a world where she could be herself.

/*/

The next morning, Emerlyn hurried from the main chambers before Gaius awoke. He'd been angry with her use of magic the night before, and even though he'd given in to her logic once more, Emerlyn didn't want to give him a chance to lecture her further.

She hurried to the armory, where she'd stored Arthur's equipment after she'd finished mending and cleaning it (well, when her magic had). She would have just kept it all in her room so she wouldn't have to make this exact trip, but she didn't want to be accused of stealing the prince's armor and sword. That would absolutely put a damper on her day.

Knowing she still had to grab Arthur's breakfast before making her way to his chambers, Emerlyn picked up her pace, thankful she was allowed to keep her "male" clothing. Trying to run down corridors and up and down stairs would be almost impossible in a dress, that's for sure!

Skidding into the dimly lit armory, Emerlyn almost crashed head first into a stack of shields. Thankfully, she'd lived with her clumsiness her entire life, so Emerlyn was able to swerve to the side so her trajectory was cut short by a pillar. While it hurt and knocked the air from her lungs, Emerlyn sighed in relief. She knew the other knights would not take too kindly if she damaged their armor.

Once she'd caught her breath, she hurried over to where she'd stored the prince's pieces. Trying to think of how she was going to take all the equipment up (which now included his chainmail) _and_ Arthur's breakfast, Emerlyn almost missed the sound of hissing. Whipping her head around quickly, she tried to find the source of the noise, as snakes were definitely not her favorite animals.

But there were no scaly, slithering beasts in the room; the only thing with snakes was a yellow shield that she recognized as the creepy Knight Valiant's. Peering closer, Emerlyn could have sworn one of the red eyes blinked. Chalking it up to a lack of proper sleep, she turned back to Arthur's armor and began hefting it onto her shoulder. The weight of just the chainmail made her knees buckle.

"Careful." Emerlyn was saved from hitting the cold stone floor by a pair of strong hands on her shoulders. She saw Sir Leon, one of Arthur's best knights; Leon lifted the chainmail off her slim body effortlessly, making Emerlyn blush in embarrassment.

"Thank you Sir Leon, that was very kind of you." While she was never hesitated to exchange snide retorts with Arthur, Emerlyn actually tried to be respectful towards Leon. He was very kind to her and the other servants, and Emerlyn felt her hard earned admiration being quickly gained by the gallant knight. For that reason, she didn't hesitate to show him the deference he deserved.

"It was no trouble." Leon responded, setting the chainmail suit back on the table.

Emerlyn fidgeted for a moment, not sure what to do, but then she started picking up other (lighter) pieces of armor. She knew she'd have to make two trips and Arthur would undoubtedly get upset, but if he wanted his armor so badly he could go get it himself!

"Well thank you again, Sir Leon. And good luck in the tournament today." Emerlyn said, giving the knight a bright smile before dashing out of the room.

She almost ran into Sir Valiant, but he moved out of the way with a scowl. Throwing an apology behind her, Emerlyn hustled it towards the kitchens, hoping the sight of food might appease the prince a little.

/*/

"Sorry!" Emerlyn said as she hurried into the room, Arthur's breakfast teetering precariously on top of her armful of armor. She expected him to still be lying about in bed, but he was actually up and dressed, much to her surprise.

"It's about time! I thought I was going to have to send out the search party! Leon has already been and gone with no appearance from you." Arthur said, gesturing to the table that held the heavier pieces of armor, including Arthur's sword. Emerlyn sent a silent thank you to Leon, beyond joyed that he'd helped her out further.

"Well it's not my fault you're armor is so heavy!" Emerlyn muttered, sending the spoiled prince an annoyed glance before she set his plate down at the head of the table.

Arthur sauntered over to her, debating whether he should comment on her rude statement or not. But she didn't really give him a chance, as she quickly started setting out the armor into a line, obviously trying to organize it. Arthur watched her with raised brows as he ate his breakfast, impressed (though he'd **never** admit it) that she seemed to be more assured today.

"You were able to get all this done on your own?" Arthur asked, gesturing to the laid out armor with his goblet. Emerlyn couldn't hide her pleased smile as she nodded.

"Yes sire." Arthur just finished his meal in silence, watching as his maidservant fidgeted around the room, straightening it up as she went. When he was done, Emerlyn hurried back over.

"Now let's see if you can get me into it without forgetting anything." Emerlyn rolled her eyes before starting to layer the prince in protection.

Her system allowed her to simply move down the line of metal, attaching each piece as she came along to it. When she slid his sword into its sheath, she couldn't help but silently pat herself on the back.

"That was much better. Not that it could have gotten any worse." Arthur said snidely, helmet clutched in his hand.

"I'm a fast learner."

"I hope for your sake that's true." It was impossible for him to keep himself from retorting back, keeping their banter going for longer than it should. She just…Emerlyn wasn't afraid to speak her mind, which he found refreshing.

Growing up as the prince, Arthur had had people sucking up to him his entire life; Emerlyn's disregard for his title was a breath of fresh air. Not that he would **ever** tell her that.

"Good luck." Emerlyn said, giving him a light (condescending) pat on the shoulder. Arthur scowled at her before heading out of the room, his snickering servant trailing behind him.

/*/

The next few days were torture for Emerlyn. Not only had she found out Sir Valiant was using **magic**, but she'd also made Arthur look like a fool in front of the court. She just didn't understand how everything had gone so wrong.

Sir Ewan was supposed to be cured and give his testimony; instead, he was once more bitten by a snake and died. And then the git of a prince fired her! Fired her! The girl who saved his worthless neck just last week!

Arthur's just lucky her destiny is intertwined with his, because if not, she would not have worked so hard to save his ungrateful life _again_. She had gotten almost no sleep the night before, having practiced turning the statue into a dog for hours upon hours.

Luckily, her magic seemed to sense her desperation and finally worked with just enough time to be of use. Any later and Emerlyn would have had to start looking for a new destiny.

And now she had to go to a stupid feast in Arthur Pendragon's honor for winning the tournament, when he would be **dead** if not for her and Morgana. But would either female get the credit they deserve? Nope, not likely. Girls never get praised for a job well done, unless it's knitting or something else equally as "female's work". Stupid patriarchal kingdom.

Glancing around, she noted Uther was conversing with a small group of people while everyone waited for the prince to arrive. Morgana was waiting at the head of the chamber, waiting for her champion to escort her to the feast. _He always has to keep people waiting! And he complains about my lateness. Prat._

"My honorable guests, I give you Prince Arthur, your champion." Uther said loudly, spotting the young man making his way into the room.

Everyone started clapping as Arthur approached the king's ward and they started walking down the aisle. Emerlyn didn't know why Gaius had dragged her here, especially since she was no longer employed by the royal household.

She would much rather be catching up on her lost sleep that watching as Arthur pranced around the room like a puffed out peacock.

"Can you believe him? So arrogant and smug when he'd be dead if not for two _girls_! But no, he's Prince Arthur and gets all the glory. Ridiculous!" Emerlyn muttered to Gaius, who just chuckled at her dark mood.

Before he could respond, Arthur and Morgana parted and the prince began marching towards them. Quickly moving away, Gaius felt a small pang of guilt at abandoning his ward. But the two needed to work their issues out before it interfered with their lives any more than it already had.

"Can you believe Morgana? She says she saved me. Like I needed any help." Emerlyn almost jumped out of her skin as the Prince's annoyed voice sounded next to her. _Oh yeah, you didn't need any help. It's not like you would have been bitten by venomous snakes or anything._

When Emerlyn just gave him a slightly confused, slightly irritated look, Arthur cleared his throat. Okay, so he felt really guilty about how he treated her after the whole Valiant fiasco. But, he'd been humiliated at the time, and it'd been her fault.

So, sure, Emerlyn had been right about the knight using magic, but that didn't erase the harshness of his father's reaction. And Uther would _never_ apologize for not believing him, so Arthur knew it was up to him to set things straight.

"I uh…I wanted to say, I made a mistake. It was unfair to sack you." Emerlyn just gave a small shrug, turning away from the prince. She knew this was as close to an apology as she was going to get, as the words "I'm sorry" would not leave the royal's mouth.

"Don't worry about it."

Arthur frowned down at her tightly braided black hair, irritated she seemed to still be mad. He'd apologized…well he'd come as close as he was going to, so why was she still angered? Woman!

Emerlyn gazed back up at him and rolled her eyes, knowing she would just have to push the hurt at his callous treatment down.

"Buy me a drink and we'll call it even." Arthur's eyebrow rose in surprise before he's lips twitched.

"Ah, I can't really be seen to be buying drinks for my servant."

"Your servant? Incase it's escaped your admittedly empty head, you fired me sire. I no longer work for you, so I am not your servant." Arthur had to bite back his chuckle, glad to see her fire back.

"I'm rehiring you. My chambers are a complete mess, my clothes ne-"

"I get it sire, I have a lot of chores. Although how you manage to destroy all my work in two days is beyond me." Emerlyn said, shaking her head. Arthur grinned before easing away, knowing his father would disapprove of him speaking with a mere servant for so long.

Emerlyn watched him merge back into the crowds, wondering why _she_ had to be the one to protect him. Because Arthur Pendragon was seriously going to be the death of her, and Emerlyn was way too young to die.

**AN: So what do you think? Do you like the direction I'm going with this? Please let me know. REVIEW!**


	3. Chapter 3

Anon: I'm glad you like it! I was hoping Emerlyn would go over well with readers. I hope you enjoy this chapter and let me know what you think.

Guest: Thanks so much! I wished more readers felt the same. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong with the story, but I just can't seem to get a good following. I hope you like this update and let me know! Thanks!

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Merlin. All familiar script is borrowed from the show.**

Chapter 3: A Plagued City

Emerlyn groaned as Gaius drug her down into the lower town, where there had been a dead body reported. She just knew this was going to make her late and Arthur was going to make her life hell, especially since she'd been late very frequently in the last two weeks.

Although, it wasn't _her_ fault she overslept a lot; how was she supposed to know the sun had already risen when her room only had one wooden covered window? See, so not her fault!

The two came to a stop when they saw a body lying on its front in the middle of the road. While this certainly wasn't her first encounter with death, as she'd seen plenty of it in Ealdor, Emerlyn still couldn't stomach it very well.

Especially when the smell started setting in; that was when she always managed to make quick exits or excuses to be away from the body. She watched as Gaius squatted down next the man, scrunching her nose up when he started probing at it.

"Aren't you scared, Gaius?" Emerlyn questioned, moving slightly further away from the body, afraid whatever had killed him might be contagious.

"Of what?" Gaius asked, not looking up at his charge.

"That you might catch whatever it is that killed him?" Emerlyn clarified, although she thought it should be obvious what she meant.

"I'm the court physician, Emerlyn. This is part of my job. Most of the time there's nothing really to be scared of." Gaius responded before rolling the stiff body over, exposing the man's blue tinted face.

Emerlyn's breath caught in her throat at the unexpected sight. Sure, bodies tended to grow pale and blue, but not _this_ color blue; and not with the veins so prominently displayed and white, milky eyes.

"You were saying?" Gaius shot her an irritated look before glancing around at the people moving about. He pointed to a rough brown blanket.

"People mustn't see this…they'll panic." The witch nodded and hurried to grab the blanket before covering the man's body. Gaius moved over to grab a cart so they could wheel the corpse back to his chambers, where hopefully he'd be able to find the cause and a cure before anyone else succumbed.

"Here, help me lift him."

Emerlyn bent down to help, silently casting a weightless charm so the body was easier to lift. Gaius's eyes widened when he felt the heavy weight ease, allowing the two to place the corpse in the cart without much struggle. He would have said something about her use of magic, but a) she had done it silently and no one would know and b) he had more important things to worry about.

"What are you doing?" The raven haired girl looked behind her to see Gwen walking up to them as they pulled the cart over the bridge towards the citadel.

She rushed to the back of the cart, not wanting Gwen to get a peek at the corpse. She knew her friend would start to panic if she saw the bizarre sight, and Emerlyn couldn't let that happen. Nor did she want to ruin Gwen's day already.

"Just moving something." She muttered, trying to look casual as she blocked the maid's view.

"Looks heavy." Gwen commented, trying to look around the other servant. She saw a boot and shuddered, knowing it was probably a dead body.

"It's nothing really. So, someone got you flowers?" Emerlyn questioned, trying to change the subject. And the bunch of purple and white flowers in Gwen's hand looked like a good distraction. The maid looked down at the flowers, her cheeks flushing.

"Oh, no. Would you like one?" Gwen asked, giving her friend a small smile. Before Emerlyn could politely refuse, the dark-skinned girl was already pulling out a flower.

"A purple one. Purple suits you. Not that I'm saying red doesn't suit you." Gwen trailed off, her already flushed face getting even redder.

Emerlyn just laughed with her and placed the purple flower behind her slightly too large ear, knowing it probably clashed horrible with her red tunic. But, it made Gwen happy and hopefully distracted her enough to forget about the body lying on the cart, so she wasn't concerned.

"Thanks well…See ya." Emerlyn said with another smile before dashing back to the front of the cart and helping Gaius wheel it away.

"Bye." Gwen shook her head at her quirky friend before making her way towards Morgana's bedchambers, hoping the flowers would brighten her mood. Poor thing hadn't been sleeping well and it was beginning to show on her pretty face.

/*/

Emerlyn pulled open the door, cringing at the irritated look on her master's face. Okay, so she was really, really late; but it wasn't her fault!

"I'm on my way. Sorry I'm late." The witch said, hoping he'd just get over it, as there was a man dead by magic lying on the table. But, Arthur didn't know that, so she wasn't sure what his response would be. The prince just rolled his eyes.

"Don't worry, I'm getting used to it. Who gave you a flower?" Arthur questioned, surprised by the surge of emotion that coursed through him at the sight of the purple plant behind Emerlyn's ear. He didn't want to examine it too closely, as it seemed far too similar to jealous.

Why would he be jealous that someone gave her a flower? It wasn't like he was attracted to the clumsy girl. No, no way, that was _not_ the case. He simply didn't know why anyone would get _Emerlyn_ a flower, that's all.

"Oh, uh no. Gwen gave it to me." Emerlyn said, giving a small shrug.

"Tell Gaius that my father wants to see him now." Arthur commanded, giving her a hard glare because it was _her_ fault he had the uncomfortable emotion in the first place.

She just gave a nod and watched as he marched off, trying not to notice how handsome he looked out of his chunky chainmail. _I did not just think that! What is wrong with me?_

"Gaius?" Emerlyn shook her head, trying to dislodge the scary thoughts from her head. She could not, _ever_, think Arthur Pendragon was anything but an irritating, spoiled prince.

"I heard." Gaius said, turning back to the body. The girl huffed in exasperation, her bizarre thoughts fleeing from her mind at the prince's treatment.

"Why couldn't he just tell you himself?"

"'Cause that's the way it is, you're a servant." Gaius said, making it clear that she should have known that already. Emerlyn frowned at her guardian, hating the position she had been placed in. She should not have to be the servant of such a pompous idiot!

"If he knew who I was, what I've done…"

"You'd be a dead servant. Right. Get this covered up." Gaius said, moving to check he had a fully stocked medicine bag.

"Hey, I'm not your servant."

"No, you're my dogsbody. Come on, hurry up."

Emerlyn rolled her eyes at him before moving to cover the corpse up. Really, sometimes she wished she'd never come to Camelot, destiny be damned. She missed being her own person, not having to answer to anyone but her mother and the village elder.

Here, it was all rules and regulations; something she was still having trouble adapting to. She just hoped that she either grew to enjoy her work or found a way to be herself before she was driven crazy.

/*/

Emerlyn watched as Arthur led his knights in the door-to-door searches, disturbed at how fiercely the King had responded to Gaius's revelation that this plague had to be the cause of magic. She knew they needed to find the cause and cure quickly before too many more people died, but she didn't like how they were going about their hunt.

The searchers would obviously have no regard for the people's homes, which meant many would come back inside to find their few belongings in ruins. Emerlyn glared at Arthur's back, hating that the prince blindly followed Uther's orders with no concern for his people's hard earned possessions.

She was pulled out of her thoughts when Gaius tugged on her sleeve, wanting to depart from the scene as quickly as possible.

Her attention was pulled to the ground, where a man was leaning against a wooden post, his skin already turning blue. She stopped when he reached out for her, her heart clenching at the sad sight.

"Gaius? Gaius, he's still alive." Emerlyn called out as she crouched next to the dying man. She pushed down her knee-jerk reaction of cringing away; instead, she grasped the man's hand to try and offer some support.

"What's your name?" She asked quietly as she waited for her guardian to make his way over to them. The man gave a cough, his grip loose in hers.

"J-Jonathan." He croaked. Gaius looked down at them, a frown deeply etched into his face.

"Come along Emerlyn, we can do nothing for him."

"Be we haven't even tried. Couldn't we-"

"No Emerlyn, we cannot do _that_. Everyone is under suspicion, so it's best to let science lead us to the source of the disease." Gaius's voice was sharp, knowing that if she even mentioned 'magic' that they could all be in perilous danger. Emerlyn frowned up at him before glancing back at the man.

"I'm sorry we could not save you, Jonathan."

"I-It's alr-ight. Thank y-you for sitt-ing w-with me."

Emerlyn just gripped his hand tighter, hating that she couldn't help him. If only she didn't have to fear execution for using her birthright; she was sure she would have been able to save this man's life, as well as everyone else's, if only she could use her magic.

She had to suppress a shudder as the light began to fade from Jonathan's eyes, his hand going limp in hers.

"Come on, we need to hurry." Gaius said gently, pulling Emerlyn to her feet.

The witch looked back at the now dead man, not understanding why someone would abuse magic to such a degree. What could one possibly gain from killing off innocent people? One thing was for certain: King Uther had angered a very powerful sorcerer.

/*/

"What are you doing?" The witch asked in a disgusted voice when she saw Gaius approach one of the cluttered tables with a vial of yellow bile.

"I'm examining the contents of that man's stomach." Emerlyn felt her own stomach churn, but she tried to focus on what was actually important and not her revulsion.

"Will that tell you who did it?"

"No, it'll tell us how it's spread. One thing I do know, this is magic of the darkest kind."

"Why would someone use magic like that? I couldn't imagine ever doing something so…horrible." She said, her face showing her clear confusion.

Gaius was thankful that, even with as powerful as she was, Emerlyn was still so innocent in the ways of the world and magic. He could only pray and hope that she never crossed the line into the darkness that beckoned all.

"Magic, like power, corrupts. People use it for their own ends."

"But not all magic is bad. I know it isn't." Emerlyn felt herself become defensive. She knew Gaius didn't think _she_ was evil, but that didn't mean she wasn't insulted by the insulation.

"It's neither good nor bad. Magic is simple a tool to be used, so the bearer of it is what decides how it is harnessed." Gaius explained, knowing the poor girl still didn't fully grasp the pure hatred of other people's hearts. Some would stop at nothing to destroy Camelot, and whoever started this disease clearly wanted just that.

Any further discussion was interrupted when Arthur and four knights barged into the chambers.

"Sorry Gaius. We're searching every room in town." Arthur said as he pointed the knights where to go.

"What for?" Gaius questioned, although he already knew the answer.

"The sorcerer."

"And why would he be here?" Emerlyn and Gaius watched as the knights began to pilfer through the physician's belongings.

"I'm just doing my job." Arthur replied, although he felt guilty about having to treat the old man in such a way.

He'd known Gaius his entire life and knew that the physician would never harbor a magic user; but, Uther's orders were very clear and Arthur would not disappoint his father just because he felt guilty.

"We've nothing to hide. Go on, then. Search." Emerlyn glared at the men who were taking no pains to be gentle in their quest.

"What are all these books and papers?" Arthur asked, lifting up what had to be more than three hundred pages worth of work.

"My life's work. Dedicated to the understanding of science. You're quite welcome to read through them if you wish." Gaius said as he and Emerlyn walked over to the prince, who gave a look of 'no thank you'. Arthur turned towards the stairs, seeing the wooden door closed firmly.

"What's this room up here?"

"It's mine." Emerlyn said, glaring at him, as if daring him to go into a female's bedchambers. Arthur's brow furrowed before he gave a slight shrug and started up the stairs.

"And what do you expect to find in there?" Gaius called out, causing the prince to pause on the stairs.

"I'm looking of material or evidence suggesting the use of enchantments. I cannot simply leave it unsearched simply because it belongs to Emerlyn." Arthur said before turning back to the room and opening the door.

"What did you do with the magic book I gave you?" Gaius asked in a whisper as he leaned towards her. The servant's eyes widened before she hurried after her master.

When she entered the room, she was relieved to see she'd stored it under the floorboard and Arthur was simply walking around the room, looking through the various boxes Gaius still had stuffed into the room. He glanced over at the blue gown he'd purchased for her, the tips of his ears reddening before he moved towards the closet.

"You're a lot cleaner than I would have imagined, seeing as it is almost impossible for you to clean my chambers properly." Arthur remarked, earning a glare from the witch.

He felt even guiltier looking through her belongings, and Arthur knew his face was hot with embarrassment. This only increased when he opened up the cupboard and was faced with her undergarments.

"If you're done ogling my shifts and wraps, perhaps your time would be better used searching another person's chambers." Emerlyn snapped, firmly closing the cupboard and nudging Arthur away. He was too uncomfortable to comment on her pushing him and quickly headed back out of the room.

"How long do you think it may be before you find a cure?" Arthur asked as he headed towards the door, turning back to look at the physician with his best 'prince' look.

"Depends on how many interruptions I get." Gaius responded.

"Of course. I'm sorry, we're finished here." Arthur called out, signaling for the knights to depart.

He gave the witch a look, which she wasn't really sure meant, before turning and walking out of the chambers with his men. Gaius followed after them and shut the door behind them before turning back to his charge.

"We have to hide that book."

"It's already hidden Gaius. Why can't we use it?"

"Don't be stupid." Gaius huffed at her. Emerlyn leaned against the table in front of her, meeting Gaius's eyes.

"If I have this legacy then what is it for? You keep telling me it's not for playing tricks." She tried to convince him, but by the look on her guardian's face, it wasn't working.

"You want to practice magic when the King is hunting for sorcerers? Are you mad? Emerlyn, your life's destined for more important things."

"What's more important than protecting my friends? Am I just to sit by idly if Gwen or Morgana gets sick? What about Arthur? If it's my destiny to protect him, then shouldn't I be doing _something_ to help? How am I supposed to be this great witch if I don't practice with more advanced magic than simple chores?"

"There'll come a time when your skills will be recognized. Until then, just be patient. It is a virtue Emerlyn, one that I'm beginning to realize you have not learnt as of yet. Your time will come."

"I could have cured Jonathan if only you'd have let me, Gaius! He needn't have died." Gaius sighed, knowing his charge was getting worked up.

"I know it's tempting to use the way you find easiest, Emerlyn."

"It's who I am, Gaius! It's in my very blood!"

"But there's no use only saving one life, Emerlyn. We need to discover how this illness is spreading to save the kingdom. This is much greater than one life."

"Arthur is out there right now looking for the sorcerer."

"A sorcerer who is powerful enough to do this will never be found searching the town. And we do not want to make anyone appear guilty of practicing magic, which includes _you_. You must learn that you cannot use your gift as freely as you once did, Emerlyn. Your life depends on you being discrete" Gaius murmured, hoping the girl would actually listen to him. If she were to be caught, her head would literally be on the chopping block.

"So what can we do?" Emerlyn asked tiredly, the argument with her guardian draining her.

"Hope that science can find the answer before it kills us all."

The witch scowled as she watched Gaius once more start heating the vial over a flame. She wished there was something productive she could do, something she could accomplish. But she would be good to no one if she was accused of practicing magic, so Emerlyn would just have to get over feeling useless.

Seeing she couldn't do anything to help at the moment, the young woman grabbed a bucket and left the chambers to collect some water. She knew many of Gaius's potions and concoctions would require the liquid, and she was dehydrated as she'd had little time to drink or even eat since they found the first body.

Making her way quickly to the water pump, she tried to not notice the sheet covered bodies that were beginning to fill the citadel courtyard. So many people dead, for no other reason than they resided in Camelot under the reign of a tyrant.

Quickly filling the bucket, Emerlyn took several handfuls of water to quench her thirst. She was startled when Arthur and more guards began walking towards her; she was afraid they'd overheard the discussion she'd had with Gaius. Standing, she bit her lip as she waited for her master to approach her.

"What are you doing here, Emerlyn? You should be helping Gaius." Arthur's tone was harsh, but Emerlyn let it pass without her usual comment, knowing he was extremely stressed.

"I'm getting some water." She retorted, making it clear she thought he was an idiot. He might be under massive pressure, but that didn't mean he was blind; it was clear what she was doing.

Arthur rolled his eyes at her and nodded to his men, who began moving towards the lower town.

"You need to get inside and help solve this; too many people have already perished. A curfew is being put in place, so do not be outside after dark." Arthur said before beginning to walk away.

"Wait, what are you doing?" Emerlyn asked, even though she knew she didn't actually have the right to question the prince.

"We're cordoning the lower town." Arthur said over his shoulder. Emerlyn's eyes widened in disbelief.

"But what about all those people? They might starve or die without treatment!" Arthur whipped back to look at her, his gaze a hot glare that almost made her back down. Almost.

"Don't you think I know that? These are the King's orders, and so they will be followed. Get inside." Arthur snarled before marching away.

Emerlyn watched him go, not believing the king would actually condemn his own people to their deaths. She was beginning to fully understand why people wanted the man dead.

/*/

When she made it back into the chambers, another body had been brought in. She was a little surprised to see it was a woman, as the only victims she'd seen so far had been men. She quietly set the bucket down before approaching the old man.

"What's different about this victim?" Gaius asked when he saw her. Emerlyn looked over the woman, noticing the fine fabric of her dress and the thick gold woven necklace she wore.

"She's a courtier? But how does that help us?"

"Courtiers seldom go down to the lower town. So what does that mean?"

"That she hasn't spoken to any townspeople." Gaius gave her an annoyed look.

"Yes. It suggests that the disease is not spread by _contact_."

"And they eat different food."

"Good. Anything else?"

"I doubt they breathe the same air."

"So what's the only thing they do share?"

"Water." When Gaius gave her a grin and nodded, Emerlyn thought she was going to be sick.

"Water. You think the disease is spread through the water!"

"Emerlyn, you're a prodigy." Gaius said sarcastically, but she was too overwhelmed with panic to notice. Gaius's face furrowed when he saw her complexion pale and her expression turn to alarm.

"What's wrong?" Emerlyn had to take a deep breath to calm herself.

"I think we should hurry. I…I might have had some water." The girl whispered, almost afraid if she spoke any louder her body would instantly begin turning blue. Gaius's brows arched in disbelief.

"What? Why would you do such a thing?"

"Because I was thirsty! I didn't know about the water." Emerlyn groaned and pointed to the bucket she'd collected.

Gaius felt his own worry begin to set in; if he didn't find the source of the problem soon, Emerlyn could die. And not only would he feel awful and miss the spitfire, but what would happen to her destiny? It was best to work quickly then.

"Well, I'll start examining the water since you've already gotten me a sample." Gaius said, as he didn't really have anything else to respond with. Emerlyn looked miserable and he prayed he would be able to cure her in time.

For her part, Emerlyn refused to let her anxiety get the best of her. She was a witch and had a destiny and prince to protect, so she refused to let this beat her. She'd simply heal herself before anyone became the wiser of her condition, that way no one would know she had even been sick.

With that in mind, Emerlyn moved towards her room to search her magic book for a solution.

She was just opening the tome when she heard a disturbance in the outer chamber. Stuffing the book under her pillow, Emerlyn hurried to the door to peek out and saw Gwen had barged in and was almost in tears in front of Gaius.

"You have the sickness?" Gaius asked worriedly. Gwen gave a small shake of her head.

"My father. Please Gaius…he's all I have left." Gwen pleaded, her eyes bright with tears.

"Gwen, I have no cure."

"I'm begging you."

"I wish there was something. Anything. But so far, the remedy is beyond what I can achieve. I'm sorry Gwen."

Gaius gripped her hand as she began to cry, feeling terrible for not having a way to save her father. Emerlyn felt her own eyes begin to water as her friend fled from the room. She pulled open the door to look at her guardian.

"There must be something we can do." Gaius sighed and turn to look at her.

"My best. Let's hope that your water can provide some answers." Emerlyn rushed down the stairs so she was standing next to Gaius.

"But that will be too late for Gwen's father."

"I fear you may be right." Gaius said as he added a purple flower to the vial of water in his hand. Emerlyn glared at him before rushing back to her room, determined to save Gwen's father; even if that meant she couldn't save herself.

/*/

Feeling pleased with herself, despite her sudden tiredness, Emerlyn started back towards Gaius's chambers. He was sure to be done speaking with the king by now, so they could continue their research. She was pulled out of her thoughts by a commotion in the corridor.

"I'm innocent. I swear. Let me go!" Emerlyn stepped out to see Gwen being pulled behind Arthur by two guards.

"I swear to you." Gwen tried to plead again, but Arthur seemed to be deaf to her cries.

Emerlyn rushed after them, not understanding why Arthur would treat the maid in such a manner. Gwen looked behind her and their eyes met.

"Emerlyn! Emerlyn! Please help me. Why won't you listen to me? Emerlyn, please…"

Gaius appeared and pulled the witch to a stop so she could only watch as the guards continued to drag the poor girl down the hallway. The physician dragged her the entire way back to their chambers, not releasing his tight grip on her wrist until they entered the room.

"What have you done?" Gaius demanded after slamming the door shut.

"What?"

"I warned you. Oh, I understand you thought you were doing good."

"I couldn't let her father die knowing I could cure him."

"Did you not think it might look a bit suspicious, the curing of one man? We spoke of this!"

"I wasn't going to let Gwen lose her father, Gaius! I'll just…have to cure everyone. No one will ever have to know it was magic." Emerlyn tried to justify her actions.

"It's too late. They think Gwen's a sorceress, they think she caused the disease." Gaius yelled, his anger at his charge's stupidity reaching a new high.

"But she didn't!" Emerlyn said, moving to the door.

"And how're you going to prove that?" The old man questioned.

Emerlyn just gave him a perplexed look, obviously not knowing the answer to that yet, before she dashed from the room. Gaius shook his head at her before going back to trying to find a cure.

/*/

Gaius looked up when Emerlyn slowly made her way back into the chambers; her shoulders slumped in defeat and a layer of sweat covering her pale skin. She couldn't believe the king had sentenced Gwen to death; Gwen, who would not hurt a pesky fly, let alone set a plague on the people of Camelot.

"Gwen's been sentenced to death." Her voice was quiet and the physician had to strain his old ears to hear her. He wasn't surprised, as he knew Uther would execute any he perceived as using magic, especially at a time like this. But he was worried about Emerlyn's worsening condition.

"I thought I was doing good. And that curing Gwen's father would help. I thought I was saving a life. It seemed so simple." The witch said sadly as she sat down across from him, her body aching.

"An easy solution is like a light in a storm, Emerlyn. Rush towards it at your own peril, for it may not always lead you to a safe harbor."

"I can see that now." She replied, staring down at her hands.

"How many times have I warned you about the responsibilities of being a witch?" Gaius asked gently, knowing she was already beating herself up. Emerlyn sighed before glancing up at him.

"I must see her. I can't just let her be down there all alone when it's my fault she's there." She said before getting up and exiting once more.

/*/

"Gwen." Emerlyn said when she saw the girl through the wooden bars of her cell.

Gwen quickly stood and tried to approach, but the guards had tied her wrists and secured her to a rope to the wall, meaning she could only move a few feet.

"Thank you." The maidservant said, coming as close as she could.

"What for?" Emerlyn asked, her guilt overwhelming at the sight of Gwen behind bars. It was not right, and she was determined to make sure her friend did not pay for something she had done.

"For coming to see me."

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault. It's all right. Don't worry about me. There's no point crying about it. I mean, I'm not saying that you were going to cry about me. Obviously I don't think that." Gwen rambled.

"Oh, Gwen! I can't have this happen."

"Please. One thing…you don't have to…but…remember me." The dark-skinned servant requested quietly, the firelight from the torches shinning against her tear streaked cheeks.

Emerlyn closed her eyes before glancing around her, making sure there were no guards near before turning back to her.

"You're not going to die, Gwen! I'm not going to let this happen, I promise. I…_I_ put the poultice under your father's pillow." The witch whispered, not believing she'd actually just uttered those words aloud. Gaius was going to _kill_ her when he found out she'd just blurted her secret out.

Gwen's face scrunched up in confusion as she looked at her friend.

"What do you mean?" Emerlyn took a deep breathe, trying to center herself.

"I'm the one who cured your father, Gwen. I just, I couldn't let you go through the pain of losing him." She continued to whisper.

"You? You're a sorceress?" Gwen almost shrieked, but was able to rein in her voice before she alerted the guards down the hall.

"No, not exactly; I'm a witch, to be more specific. But, I didn't cause the disease! You have to believe me; I would never do something like this. In fact, I've actually been infected." Emerlyn said sadly, pointing to her sweat drenched face. She just hoped Gwen believed her and didn't just jump to the conclusion that she was evil, like most others would.

"I can't believe it. You've been a…a witch this whole time? Why would you stay here?" Gwen asked, completely confused as to why someone who had a death sentence hanging over their heads if they were ever caught would willingly stay in the same kingdom as the brutal king.

"I…there are things I have to do here, Gwen. I have to…keep Arthur safe from those who would see him dead." The last part was only a mutter, Gwen almost missing it completely.

"Thank you for curing him." The maid said, her heart still heavy with Emerlyn's revelations.

"Of course, Gwen, I will always try to help my friends. And I will get you out of this, even if I have to tell the King the truth." The witch promised fiercely.

"NO!" Gwen exclaimed, surging forwards until the rope bit into her skin. Emerlyn's eyes widened at her reaction, not expecting such a passionate response.

"You cannot tell Uther! He would kill the both of us if you did. Just…just find the real sorcerer and defeat them. The king will have to release me once the curse is lifted, right? So just, focus on that; do **not** tell Uther. He can never know about you." Gwen said urgently.

"Alright, I guess you're right. I just hate seeing you like this." Emerlyn muttered, glaring at the wooden door. Gwen gave a shrug before sitting back down.

"Well, the sooner you save me the sooner I'll be out of here." The prisoner commented with a small smile. Emerlyn responded in kind before dashing back up the stairs and back to Gaius's chambers, hoping he had a lead.

/*/

"Gaius, please tell me you have something, anything." Emerlyn pleaded as she came back into the room. The physician was apparently waiting for her because he was near the door with a bag in his hands.

"Yes, we have to find out what's contaminating the water. We'll go to the underground reservoir. Come along, we need to hurry." Gaius said, thrusting the bag into Emerlyn's hands before moving out of the chamber.

She quickly slung it over her shoulder and followed him, trying to not think about the waves of exhaustion that had worsened since that afternoon. Now was not the time to let tiredness _or_ the disease get the better of her. And if she noticed her fingers beginning to turn blue with dark veins, she ignored it.

/*/

"What was that, Gaius?" Emerlyn asked for the tenth time as she waited for the man to find the creature in one of his tomes.

Gaius sighed in irritation as he continued to flip pages, trying to find it. Both to find out how to destroy it, and to get his ward to stop pestering him.

"Here! It was an Afanc." Gaius announced, pointing to a picture of the beast. Emerlyn looked over his shoulder, trying to get a better look at the depiction.

"An A-what?"

"A beast born of clay and conjured up only by the most powerful sorcerer. Now we have to find a way to defeat it. But where?" Gaius asked himself, looking around at all his massive books.

"That'd take days. Gwen will be dead by then." Emerlyn said when she noticed Gaius's gaze.

"Have you got a better idea?"

"Yeah, I think I do. I'll be back." Emerlyn said before moving towards the door.

"Wait, Emerlyn how are you feeling?" Gaius asked, noticing she had grown a deathly pale color.

"I'm fine. Just a bit tired." Emerlyn said, holding her arms behind her back as the physician approached her.

"Let me have a look." Gaius said, well commanded.

Emerlyn sighed before bringing her now blue hands forwards. Gaius peered at them before tugging on her jacket, making it clear he wanted her to remove it. She slowly complied; grimacing when the sight of her now blue and veined arms came into view.

"Why is it spreading slower on me than the others?" Emerlyn asked.

"I would imagine that because this is a magical illness, your own magic is fighting it. But best be careful, you don't want others to see this. Wear some gloves." She nodded before heading to her room to grab her only pair.

She slipped the worn gloves on, then her jacket and set out once more.

/*/

"Hello!" Emerlyn called out, her voice echoing through the vast cavern. She waited with baited breath, hoping the dragon would respond.

"Hello." The dragon's voice sounded from above her. Emerlyn watched as the huge chain started to move, signaling the dragon was moving.

"The great witch returns as I knew she would."

"What are you talking about? I've been here twice a week since I got here." Emerlyn responded in confusion. The dragon landed on his perch and just gazed at her, clearly not going to explain himself.

"I need to know how to defeat an Afanc."

"Yes, I suppose you do."

"Will you help me?"

"Trust the elements that are at your command."

"Elements? But what is it I have to do?"

"You cannot do this alone. You are but one side of a coin, Arthur is the other."

"I don't understand. Just tell me what it is I have to do! I don't have time to go on a wild goose chase! I've…become another victim of the disease and I don't know how long I have. Stop being vague and just give me the answer!" Emerlyn yelled, fed up with the dragon's half-answers.

The beast stared at her, debating with himself if he should really help more than he already had. If he always gave her the answer, how was she going to learn and grow? But at the same time, if he didn't tell her, would she reach the answer with enough time to put a stop to the curse before it killed her?

"The Afanc is made of clay and born in water. It's weakens is the other elements."

"You mean…like air and fire?" Emerlyn asked, receiving a nod from the giant beast.

"Thank you." She said before rushed out of the cave. She had to get to Arthur and quickly, before her entire body became blue and she couldn't fight the pain any longer.

/*/

Emerlyn sighed in relief as her skin began to turn back to normal. She had been able to keep the illness to herself, so the prince and king were none the wiser. Thank goodness for that. She'd hate to be accused of sorcery even after they'd slain the beast.

In the end, everything seemed to work out; Gwen got saved, Emerlyn was able to keep her magic a secret, they got rid of the monster, and now she had a friend who actually knew her secret. Someone like Gaius who wouldn't tell a soul about that knowledge.

Emerlyn knew she should be worried, but Gwen was such a good person that she doubted she'd ever betray her, even under torture. If she was going to pick anyone to know her secret, Gwen was the perfect confidant.

She felt lighter somehow, as if by telling Gwen she eased a little of her burden and made Emerlyn think the future was a little less dark. It was definitely good to have friends that knew just who you were.

**AN: Okay guys, please let me know what you think. I thought I've been doing pretty well with the story, but with so few comments, I don't know if I should continue or not. I love this story and where its head, but I also don't want to waste my time if no one is going to appreciate it. So please REVIEW!**


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Thank you to those who left a comment, I really appreciate it. To everyone else, please take the minute to review, as it lets me know if you like my direction or not. **

Guest: Thanks for reviewing! I'm glad you liked the last chapter. I really enjoy this one, so let me know what you think!

Fahrfighter86: Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. I really appreciate it. I'm glad you liked the first chapter and will let me know what you think about this one as well.

Anon: Thanks so much. I'm so happy you like the story and the way I'm writing it. I hope you like this chapter and will please let me know what you think of it.

Whit: Thanks! I'm trying not to let the lack of response get me down so much. I've just put a lot of thought and effort into this story, so it sucks that not that many people seem to like it or are willing to review. I'm thankful you are, though! I'm doing the majority of episodes, but there are a couple I plan on skipping because I don't really like them much. I thought about just breezing through season 1, since my big changes come afterward, but I thought the developing relationship between Arthur and Emerlyn deserved to be properly shown. I hope you enjoy this chapter and let me know what you think of it!

**Disclaimer: I still do not own anything related to Merlin.**

Chapter 4: Damsel in Distress

"Sorry it took so long, I had to convince Arthur I was too ill to go hunting. Although, why he would think I'd willingly go out to kill defenseless creatures is beyond me." Gwen hid her smile as Emerlyn slammed down into the chair opposite her.

The two had agreed that after the excitement, or terror depending on who you ask, of the last couple of weeks settled down, the two would have a long discussion on the secret Emerlyn let slip. Thankfully, Morgana had been happy to release her maid for the morning, meaning Emerlyn was the only one who had to get out of work.

And trying to get the idiot to let her stay inside the city had been almost impossible. Emerlyn didn't understand _why_ he'd want her to go with him, as she was useless unless she used her magic. And she did not like hurting animals that could not protect themselves just for sport! It was barbaric!

"That's quite alright Em, I figured it might take some time. Would you like something to drink?" Gwen asked as she stood to pour them some water.

Emerlyn was a little hesitant to drink water ever again, but she was thirsty and knew she couldn't afford to get a pint at the tavern. And if Arthur found out she'd gone to the tavern while she was 'ill', there would undoubtedly be severe punishment for the servant.

"Thank you, Gwen." The witch said as her friend sat the goblet down in front of her before reseating herself with her own water. An awkward silence stretched between the two, until Emerlyn couldn't possibly take another second of it.

"I guess you want to know everything?" Gwen's shoulders gave a slight shrug.

"You don't have to tell me _everything,_ Em; only what you want to tell me. Like, why'd you come to Camelot at all?" Emerlyn bit her lip before she launched into her tale, explaining as fully as she could everything she'd done and discovered since setting foot in the city.

To say Gwen was in awe at the end of the tale would have been very misleading. The maidservant was almost struck dumb by the witch's revelations; however, thankfully, she was able to quickly get control of herself before she embarrassed them both.

"That…that's very…" Gwen trailed off, not really sure what to say. How do you openly talk about someone being a witch in a kingdom that would see her dead?

"I know. But…I feel better having told you, Gwen. I know I can trust you to keep my secret. And…well, it's nice to have someone other than Gaius to talk to about this." Emerlyn said, giving the other girl a blinding smile. Gwen smiled back and gave her hand a squeeze.

"Of course you can trust me, Em; I'll take your secret to the grave, I promise." The two shared another smile.

"I better get going, I don't want Arthur to see me when he gets back. Although, I'm hoping his hunt takes the whole day." Emerlyn said, standing.

"Oh, it should, since his catch will be served at the feast that's approaching." Gwen said, causing the witch to turn to her in confusion.

"What feast?"

"It's surprising that you're the servant of the prince, and yet, you don't know what's going on." Gwen giggled, shaking her head at her friend. Emerlyn felt her cheeks redden in embarrassment. It wasn't _her_ fault Arthur didn't tell her anything!

"Lord Bayard of Mercia is coming to sign a treaty with the King to bring peace between the two lands. He should arrive tomorrow, and he'll be bringing an entire fleet with him. This means that Arthur will have to stay on the hunt until he catches enough game to feed everyone."

"Oh. Right. Yeah I better go anyways. I'm sure Gaius knows I'm not ill, so he'll have something for me to do." Emerlyn said before waving bye and dashing out of the small house. Gwen shook her head in amusement before she started getting herself ready to tend to the Lady Morgana.

/*/

Emerlyn hurried into Arthur's rooms, having realized that even with being 'ill', the prince would not be happy if her chores were not done when he got back. Closing the door behind her, she made sure there were no servants lurking in his bedchambers or the antechamber before she quickly started using her magic to clean the room.

Clothes began flying into the basket, Arthur's bed made itself, his chamber pot emptied itself, etc. She smiled as she watched her powers at work; sure, she was using magic for small things, but it was still a thrill. And Emerlyn could feel her body beginning to relax as she released the pent up energy.

When the room was spotless, Emerlyn grabbed the clothes basket and Arthur's dirty dishes before heading back out of the room. She was going to have to wash the clothes by hand, like always, but Emerlyn was beginning to learn to enjoy her work.

Would she rather be anywhere else? Of course. But this was her lot at the moment, so the witch was determined to find happiness where she could. And she felt accomplished when her chores were completed, even when she had to do them all on her own, like with the laundry or mucking out the stables.

Okay, well, she could certainly do without the horse manure part. Emerlyn gave a shudder as she hurtled down the corridors, her nose seeming to fill with the stench of the stables with just the mere thought. She knew Arthur made her do that particular chore just because he was a prat and thought it was funny.

Well, it certainly wasn't. Especially when she had to wash her clothes three times just to get the stench out. She'd had had to make several bars of soap in the last week just to have enough to do her own laundry and bathe. She cursed Arthur Pendragon frequently on those days, not caring who heard her unfeminine language, as she only spoke the truth. Stupid prat.

/*/

"Emerlyn!"

The girl in question turned to see Gwen barge into the physician's chambers, a little breathless. The witch was instantly concerned that something was wrong, as Gwen rarely ran anywhere. There was a flash of fear, as the thought that somehow someone had found out about her secret flashed in her mind.

"Gwen? Is everything alright?" The dark skinned girl gave a small smile, but she was more focused with catching her breathe.

"Y-yes. Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. The Lady Morgana has requested that I ask if you would like to venture out today. She wishes to have a late lunch in a nearby meadow, and she has inquired if you would like to join us, since Arthur is not here." Gwen replied, taking several deep breaths until her lungs had stopped complaining.

Emerlyn, for her part, was surprised at the invitation. Morgana was certainly a nice person, especially for a noble, but she hadn't really spoken much with the raven beauty since she became Arthur's servant.

But, even while she was confused, she could not refuse the request, especially when she was trying to keep her head down around Uther. And upsetting the King's ward would not be a very wise thing to do to remain unnoticed by the brute.

"Um…sure I guess. I've actually just finished my chores and am waiting for Arthur's clothes to dry so I'm free." Emerlyn said, pointing to the clothes that were laid out on the clothes line she'd set up in front of the fire.

"Good, I'll let her know. We'll be leaving within the half hour, so change and meet us in the courtyard." Gwen said with another smile before she exited, making her way back to her mistress with the news.

Emerlyn glanced down at herself, noting the wet splotches that covered her tunic and breeches from doing laundry. She sighed, knowing she'd actually have to wear a _dress_, before she made her way back into her room.

Emerlyn quickly began removing her clothes and unwrapping her chest, moving over to the shallow washbasin she kept in her room to wash her face and run a wet cloth over herself. The large wooden tub was kept out in the main chamber, so that Gaius could use it when he chose, so she had decided to keep a bowl handy for just this purpose.

When she was sure all the sweat was removed from her flesh, Emerlyn pulled a small bottle of oil out of her cupboard. It was vanilla scented and she dabbed it on in several places, happy when she was certain that she smelled fresh once more.

Pulling on her undergarments and then her long-sleeved shift, Emerlyn pulled out the blue dress she'd made. Being a peasant, it was extremely simple, as it tied up the front with leather cords.

This meant the white sleeves of her shift were exposed, which was why she wore that one with this dress, as it didn't have any sleeves of its own. Dresses with sleeves tended to be for the higher ups, as it meant more fabric was used. Slipping her shoes back on, Emerlyn rebraided her hair before hurrying from the chambers, not wanting to keep the Lady Morgana nor Gwen waiting.

When she got to the courtyard, she saw there were several guards already mounted, as well as three horses waiting for riders. She spotted the two women making their way out of the front doors and she waved, moving over to greet them.

"Thank you for inviting me, my lady. It was very kind of you." Emerlyn said with a small curtsy.

"Nonsense, Emerlyn. We're friends, and so should be able to enjoy a meal together." Morgana said, waving a hand dismissively at Emerlyn's words.

The two black haired beauties shared a smile before they moved over to their horses. Emerlyn was finding her day without Arthur was turning out to be far more enjoyable than even she'd imagined.

/*/

Emerlyn leaned back on her hands, basking in the warmth of the spring day. The three girls had settled inside the meadow on a pretty purple blanket, their lunch spread out before them. The witch was shocked that Morgana really did treat her and Gwen as true friends, as equals. She liked the other girl more already.

"So tell me Emerlyn, how do you find working for the spoiled man-child that is our prince?" Morgana asked, her voice amused as she plucked up a grape to pop it in her mouth. Emerlyn sat up a little straighter, not sure how she should really respond.

"Uh…it's been a trial." Emerlyn said carefully, not wanting the guards to take her insults of Arthur back to the king. That would mean either her imprisonment or beheading, and she wasn't fond of either of those options. Morgana threw her head back and laughed, a fully belly chortle that she'd never dare do in front of the court.

"Oh, I'm sure it has, for the both of you. I do not believe Arthur has ever had someone like you work for him, if he's ever even met anyone else like you."

Emerlyn frowned, not sure if she was being jabbed out or not. Nobles were so much harder to keep up with sometimes, as they made insulting each other an art form that the witch didn't care to learn. She'd much rather just be honest with her slurs.

"Someone like me?"

"Yes, someone who speaks their mind, no matter who they're talking to. Well, except the King, of course. But it doesn't even faze you that Arthur's the prince; I think he respects you for it." Emerlyn tilted her head to the side, pondering the lady's words.

"I believe you're right, Lady Morgana. Arthur wouldn't allow Em to get away with her behavior unless he enjoyed it." Gwen spoke up, sending a smile at her friend. Morgana latched onto the last part of the servant's words and a sly smirk stretched across her features as she peered at the other raven girl.

"You're on to something, Gwen. I think Arthur does _enjoy _Emerlyn, not just her brash behavior." Emerlyn darted her eyes between the two smirking women, not knowing what they were getting at. Certainly not what she thought they might be getting at.

"I'm sure he just tired of going through servants."

"Hmm. Or he's intrigued with a certain servant." Morgana said, taking a sip from her goblet. Emerlyn's cheeks flushed as she darted to her feet.

"I, uh…I need to use the bush." Emerlyn said the first thing that came to mind before she dashed off, her blush deepening when the other two women let out giggles at her retreating back.

"I do not think Arthur is the only one intrigued, my lady." Gwen murmured lowly, not wanting to guards to overhear. Morgana gave a nod, still chuckling at the younger girl.

There might be talk in the court of her becoming Arthur's bride one day, but she was surprisingly content with this new progress, as she'd always viewed the young Pendragon as more of a brother than suitor.

Of course, nothing could arise between master and servant, and Morgana would have to step into her appointed role sooner or later; but for now, she thought it was cute that the two were so obviously attracted to each other and didn't know what to do about it.

/*/

Emerlyn slowly made her way back to the group, having cooled down her cheeks enough to be able to return. She didn't really know what was going on between her and the prat prince, but it was embarrassing that others seemed to be able to see it as well.

It wasn't as if she liked Arthur. NO, absolutely not. He was…annoying, a brute, spoiled…not to mention a prince. There was absolutely nothing attractive about the man to her; Emerlyn shoved the picture of his shirtless chest out of her mind, knowing that was just counterproductive.

"Ah, there she is. Emerlyn, we were just getting ready to leave." Gwen said when she spotted the witch while she was folding up the blanket. The extra food had already been repacked and Morgana was waiting by her horse, knowing Uther wouldn't take it well if she was gone for too long.

Before the witch could respond, there was the sound of rushing feet, twigs snapping and leaves rustling under the quick movements of many persons. Spinning around, Emerlyn had just a moment to assess the situation before a group of bandits closed in on them, circling the group with crude weapons raised.

"My Lady, stay back." One of the guards said, pushing Morgana towards the center of the clearing with Gwen, who clutched at her in fear. Emerlyn leaped to her feet, cursing as her skirt got tangled around her legs, making her trip again and land on her knees roughly.

The guards were quickly pulled into fights as they tried to protect the women. Emerlyn groaned as she was roughly pulled to her feet, coming face-to-face with a scruffy, yellow toothed man who gave a nasty smirk.

"Well look at you, pretty little lass. I could fetch a good bit of coin for you and your friends."

Emerlyn reached her hand back and delivered a loud smack to his face, making his head snap back before he quickly turned back to her with a snarl. She had a brief flash of fear before she was sent tumbling to the ground, her cheek exploding in pain as he backhanded her.

"Emerlyn!" Gwen shrieked, seeing her friend go down.

Morgana silently cursed their luck as the group of men began closing in on the two women, two of the three guards already down, wounded. She quickly glanced around before diving for one of the guards' swords, brandishing it to the snickers of the bandits.

"Oh looky-here boys, the little princess has a sword." One of the men taunted as he circled Morgana, the thought of how much gold he could ransom her for making his mouth water. Gwen clutched at the back of Morgana's dress, scared out of her mind, glancing over at Emerlyn every few seconds.

The witch shakily got to her feet, her cheek throbbing as she glared at her assailant, who smirked at her and raised another beefy paw and smacked her again, delighting in her cry of pain.

Emerlyn felt her magic surging forward, ready to defend herself when the man gave a yell as a sword was suddenly protruding from his chest. Her eyes wide, Emerlyn watched as the man gurgled, blood filling his mouth, before the sword was withdrawn and he fell to the ground, dead.

Arthur stood before her, his expression dark with rage as he took in her injured cheek and split lip; Emerlyn had never been so happy to see the prince and she had to resist the urge to throw herself at him. That would definitely not be in the best of either of their interests, so she simply let herself relax and look around her, seeing Arthur's men taking on any of the bandits that didn't flee.

"Are you alright?" Arthur asked, stepping forward to turn her face to the side, trying to stay focused on the matter at hand and not the warmth of her skin against his fingertips. He hated the man he'd killed and wished he could do it again, seeing the bruise blossoming along Emerlyn's sharp cheekbone.

"Y-yes, I'm fine, thank you." Emerlyn murmured, her eyes catching in his blue depths.

She saw the anger and worry swirling around, and Emerlyn tried to ignore her inner thrill that he seemed so concerned for her, a simple servant. Seeming to catch himself as well, Arthur stepped back and moved towards Morgana, who was standing next to Gwen, sword still clutched in her grip.

"Morgana, are you hurt?" Arthur questioned, knowing his father would have their heads if his ward was injured in any way. The dark beauty shook her head negatively and pointed at the two guards on the ground.

"No, you arrived just in time it seems. These men, however, are wounded and we should get them to Gaius before they perish." Arthur squatted down next to one of them, noting he had a large gash across his abdomen and was sweating profusely as he tried to hang onto life.

"Get these men to Camelot quickly. We will follow." Arthur said to two of his knights, who made quick work of strapping the two men onto a horse before departing. Gwen rushed over to the witch, ringing her hands in anxiety when she saw her poor face.

"Oh Em!" Gwen said sadly, her soft fingers stroking over the bruising skin in sympathy. Emerlyn gave a crooked smile, even though it pained her, not wanting her friend to worry.

"It's alright, Gwen. Nothing a little salve from Gaius won't fix." Gwen heard the undercurrent and could imagine she meant a little "magic". Giving a small nod, the two women made their way over to where Arthur and Morgana stood with the remaining knights.

"Let's leave this place before more of their friends decide to show up." Arthur said, helping Morgana up onto her horse. Emerlyn glanced around, seeing the knights had taken her own horse for the wounded men and that the extra one the knights had had several bucks, pheasants, and even a boar strapped to the poor animal.

"Emerlyn! Sometime today would be nice." Arthur called out arrogantly, making her send a glare his way, which only made him smirk at her. It was clear that whatever moment they'd had before was over and they were back to being servant and pratty prince, which Emerlyn was fine with.

Gwen hid her smile behind her hand as she was helped onto her horse by a knight, her cheeks flushing at the smile he gave her. The servant couldn't stop her mind from flashing back to the conversation she'd had with Emerlyn a while back about armor and knights, her cheeks flushing further.

Rolling his eyes at his slow servant, Arthur marched over to her, his mount's reins in his gloved hand. Emerlyn was startled when Arthur suddenly appeared at her side and quickly grasped her waist and lifted.

Having to bite back a frightened yell, Emerlyn clutched widely at the horse's saddle, not wanting to make a fool of herself by falling at the prince's feet, as she'd never live it down.

"Scoot back, dunderhead." Arthur said snidely, waiting for her to do so before he swung onto the horse himself, trying not to let his muddy boots ruin her blue skirt.

Since when did the clumsy buffoon start wearing dresses anyways? Sure, he'd given her a gown, but he'd never actually seen her wear one before and the prince found he was struck by how…feminine she looked. Which just made him even angrier at the dead man who'd struck her, as it was appalling to hit a woman, no matter her status.

Emerlyn lightly bit her lip before slowly sliding her arms around his waist, glad his bulky armor kept her from being able to actually feel his body. Arthur urged the horse forward and the party was on their way, not wanting to be ambushed again.

Arthur would have to report to his father, who'd be furious that bandits were so close to the city, especially when Lord Bayard was en route; it'd be very bad for their peace treaty if the man was attacked while in their borders.

Emerlyn tried to keep herself as far from her master as she could, but as they continued to ride, she found herself sliding closer to him, as her bum was very close to sliding off the saddle and she didn't fancy riding bareback.

Arthur, for his part, tried to ignore the heat that seemed to seep into his back, even through the thick layer of armor and chainmail; and the vanilla scent that wafted around him, making his head go cloudy. It would be beyond humiliating if he ended up crashing off his horse because his servant had such an effect on him, and Arthur refused to allow such a possibility.

When they finally made it into the city and up to the citadel's courtyard, Gwen and Morgana dismounted their own steads while watching in bemusement as Arthur helped Emerlyn down, his hands lingering on her waist longer than was strictly appropriate. The pair seemed to become absorbed with each other, their eyes focused on the other, not seeming to remember where they were.

"Make sure you have Gaius look at this." Arthur said, his thumb stroking over her cheek, making Emerlyn's breathe catch as she gave a little nod. Why couldn't she tear herself away from this spoiled prince as easily as she should be able to? It was madness!

Arthur gazed at her for a moment longer before giving himself a shake, stepping away from her and heading towards the front steps, needing to speak with his father. Turning at the top, he saw Emerlyn's cheeks were flushed as she muttered something to Gwen and Morgana, who snickered.

"Emerlyn, since you seemed well enough to be out today, I expect you to be back at your duties when I return from the council chambers." Arthur's voice boomed over them, making the servant give a small shrug and an eye roll.

It didn't seem to matter whatever pull the two had between them, Arthur was incapable of being anything but a prat for longer than five seconds. Seeing she'd heard him, Arthur spun back towards the doors and disappeared inside.

"I'm going to go check on the guards." Emerlyn murmured to the two women before slinking off, silently cursing her master under her breath. Of course he wouldn't let her remain in her chambers for the rest of the day, no matter how injured she was.

Okay, so she wasn't that hurt and it'd be gone in a few days, but still, that didn't mean Arthur had to be such a git. But such was her life, now that Camelot was her home and Arthur Pendragon was her lord and master, as irritating as that fact happened to be.

/*/

Emerlyn pushed Arthur's door open, balancing the plate of fruit and cheese in one hand as she struggled against the heavy door. Why the double doors needed to be so heavy, she didn't understand; it was probably just a way to make servants work harder, knowing how royals were. Arthur was at his desk, parchment spread out before him as he scribbled quickly, and most likely almost unreadable.

"It's about time. What took you so long?" Arthur looked up, his face contorting in irritation. Brushing it aside, as it was probably due to his discussion with his father, Emerlyn set the plate on a clear space on the desk.

"Gaius needed my help tending to the wounded men." She said, as if it should be obvious.

Arthur ignored her sarcastic tone, noting the chalky paste that covered the right side of her face, glad she'd gotten seen to as well. Pushing the parchment away, Arthur grabbed a pear from the plate and took a bite, chewing noisily just to get on his servant's nerves.

"You'll need to go make sure the preparations for Bayard are complete, that his rooms are clean, arrange for the kitchen to have platters waiting inside when he arrives tomorrow, collect my ceremonial clothes from the storage closet, and make sure the royal stables are cleaned and ready for Bayard's mounts. Also, I am having dinner with my father tonight and you'll need to be there to serve me." Arthur said, smirking smugly at her as the witch winced with each new chore.

Of course it wasn't enough that she'd completed all her normal duties, Arthur just had to go out of his way to torment her. The things he was requiring of her weren't even jobs his personal servant should be seeing to; they should be overseen by the household staff and Morgana, as she was the only female and in charge of arranging such things.

"Yes, sire." Arthur knew she wanted to curse him and his smirk widened, loving how he could push the servant's buttons.

Serves her right, though, lying about being ill just to get out of a hunting trip. He made a dismissive hand gesture and Emerlyn gave a small curtsy, glaring the entire time, before leaving to see to her duties. Arthur Pendragon was the bane of her existence!

/*/

Using magic as discretely as she could, Emerlyn did her chores as quickly as she could without drawing too much attention, wanting to just slide into her own bed and let oblivion take her.

She even risked exposure, that Gaius would kill her for if he found out, to make the stables pristine, not wanting to have to spend more time cleaning her dress than was necessary.

When all the tasks were done save one, Emerlyn grabbed the ceremonial outfit and made her way to Arthur's chambers, her nose scrunching up at the stench that filled her nose. These clothes apparently needed a good cleaning and she knew it would be one more thing she'd have to see to.

Returning to the prince's rooms, Emerlyn set the dirty clothes on a chest and sighed when she saw the mess he'd made of the previously clean room. Did he do such things just to aggravate her? She was beginning to think that yes, he did do it just to be spiteful, as he took amusement from her never ending list of chores.

Moving around the room, the girl began putting it to rights once more; thankfully, it appeared to just be clothes strewn about and a dirty plate and goblet from his late lunch, so she had it cleaned up quickly.

Grabbing the dirty dishes, Emerlyn made her way down to the kitchen before heading to the dining hall, where the king, prince, and ward were waiting.

/*/

Rushing through the halls, trying to make it to Arthur's rooms before he got too mad about her tardiness, Emerlyn ran straight into one of Bayard's servants. The two women crashed to the ground, the clothes the other servant had been caring landing with a weird clang on the floor.

"Oh! I'm so sorry! I didn't see you." Emerlyn said in a rush, her cheeks heated as she scrambled to her feet and offered a hand to the other woman. Gathering up her things, the servant let Emerlyn help her to her feet.

"That's alright, I didn't see you either. Are you…are you Prince Arthur's servant? I saw you in the great hall this morning. It must be such an honour to work for the prince."

"Eh, it has its days I guess. I'm Emerlyn." The woman shook her hand with a smile.

"I'm Kara." They shared a smile before Emerlyn excused herself to continue her quick pace to the prince's chambers. She skidded to a halt inside when she saw Arthur, who was waiting for her with an irritated look.

"Sorry."

He rolled his eyes at her, used to it by now. The day Emerlyn was on time for something was the day he allowed sorcery back in the kingdom. She hurried over to the stack of clothes she'd sat on the chest the night before, coughing in disgust as she shook out the red and gold coat.

"When was the last time these were cleaned?" The servant asked in distaste, turning to look at the prince.

"Last year some time, before the feast of Beltane." Arthur replied with a shrug.

"Did it end in a food fight?" Emerlyn questioned as she helped him into the garment.

"Don't all feasts?"

"I wouldn't know. The airs and graces of the court are a mystery to me." She replied snidely, which made him smirk.

"Not tonight, they won't be." The prince responded as he picked at the coat.

"I'm going to be at the banquet?"

"Not quite. You'll be there to make sure my cup doesn't run dry. If I have to sit through Bayard's boring speeches I don't see why you should get out of it. Be sure to polish the buttons." Arthur said, shrugging out of the coat and shoving it into her hands.

Emerlyn huffed in irritation as he went behind the changing screen, beating lightly at the coat to try to get some of the dust off. She knew she'd have to clean it and was thankful for her little secret, as she couldn't imagine how long it would take to get the smell out otherwise.

"Do you want to see what you'll be wearing tonight?"

"Wont this do?" Emerlyn points to her tunic and trousers when Arthur steps back out from behind the screen.

"No, tonight you'll be wearing the official ceremonial robes of the servants of Camelot."

Noting the amused tone of his voice, Emerlyn wasn't sure what to expect. When Arthur held up the ghastly red dress and head cover, she gave him an appalled look, which made his amused grin widen

"You can't be serious." She replied, horrified. There was no way she was wearing such a dress.

"I am. Be in uniform and have my clothes laundered before the feast." Arthur said, throwing the clothes at her head.

Emerlyn caught the garments with a glare, making him chuckle before he went to his desk to overlook some things before the feast. Sighing in resignation, the witch gathered up his clothes and hers before scurrying away, once more hating that she'd ever come to Camelot.

/*/

Emerlyn scowled at the back of Arthur's head, hating that he'd made her wear this headdress. No one else was wearing it, and she knew they probably hadn't for some years. Stupid, prat prince! When Gwen saw her, she couldn't help but laugh.

"Nice head cover. I don't think anyone's worn one in a decade."

"Thanks." Emerlyn says sarcastically, making Gwen giggle, and glared at Arthur, who'd turned to look at her.

He gave her an amused grin, trying not to laugh before turning back to watch Bayard and his father sign the treaty. Huffing in irritation, Emerlyn ripped the tragic piece off her head and smoothed her hair down, as she'd worn it down for the evening.

Gwen giggled again before leaving her side, walking over to stand next to Gaius so she had a better view of the ceremony. Emerlyn bit back her curses as she watched Uther take his seat and Bayard begin pacing up and down the aisle, clearly about to give a speech.

Arthur sent her another look as he seated himself next to his father, and she couldn't help but stick her tongue out at him. Thankfully, Uther didn't see the action and Arthur just silently chuckled.

"People of Camelot, for a great many years we have been mortal enemies. The blood of our men stains the ground from the walls of Camelot to the gates of Mercia. And though we remember those who have died, we mustn't allow any more to join them." Bayard said, walking up and down the free space between the tables. A servant arrived at his side, carrying a box.

"As a symbol of our good will and of our new found friendship, I present these ceremonial goblets to you, Uther, and your son, Arthur in the hope that our friendship may last." Bayard says, holding up each goblet in time with who it was meant for. Emerlyn was pulled out of her thoughts, which had been drifting, when Kara tugged on her sleeve.

"Emerlyn, I need to speak with you." She whispered urgently, sending fearful looks around the hall.

"What is it?" The witch asked, concerned at the woman's apprehensive demeanor.

"Not here. Please. I don't know who else to tell." She allowed herself to be pulled from the hall as Bayard continued his speech, keeping everyone's attention. The two females made their way into the corridor and Kara spun around to look at her with wide, scared eyes.

"It wasn't until I saw him give the goblet to Arthur that I realized…" Kara said in a rush.

"Slow down, start from the beginning." Emerlyn said, confused.

"Two days ago, I was bringing Bayard his evening meal, we're supposed to knock, he didn't expect me to walk in…"

"So? What're you trying to say?" Dread filled her chest, almost knowing what Kara was going to say before she uttered another word.

"If he knows I said anything he will kill me."

"I will not let that happen to you, I promise. Please, tell me what you saw."

"Bayard is no friend of Camelot. He craves the kingdom for himself." Kara whispered. Stomach beginning to turn in knots, Emerlyn grasped her shoulders and made her look her in the eye.

"Kara…tell me what has Bayard done with the goblet?"

"He believes that if he kills Arthur, Uther's spirit will be broken and Camelot will fall."

"What has he done with the goblet?" She questioned urgently, fear for Arthur over coming her.

"I saw him putting something in it…"

"What?"

"I shouldn't, he'll kill me."

"Please tell me. Was it poison?" Kara looks terrified but nods and Emerlyn rushes back to the hall, hoping she wasn't too late to save the prince, yet again.

"And may the differences from our past remain there. To your health, Uther, Arthur, the Lady Morgana, the people of Camelot." Bayard says, raising his cup in a toast. Everyone rises and salutes.

"And to fallen warriors on both sides." Uther says, earning a nod from the other king.

"Stop! It's poisoned! Don't drink it." Emerlyn shouted as she struggled through the throng of people to reach Arthur's side. She took the goblet from him, who gave her an irritated look.

"What?" Uther questioned, sending a glare the servant's way.

"Emerlyn, what're you doing?" Arthur demanded, angrily.

"Bayard laced Arthur's goblet with poison." Emerlyn explained, turning to stare at the other king.

"This is an outrage!" Bayard exclaimed, drawing his sword. All the knights drew their own weapons, prepared to defend their respective kings.

"Order your men to put down their swords, you're outnumbered." Uther called as knights rush around the hall until Bayard is circled.

"I will not allow this insult to go unchallenged." Bayard said angrily.

"On what grounds do you base this accusation?" Uther questioned, fury in his voice.

"I'll handle this. Emerlyn, you idiot, have you been at the sloe gin again?" Arthur asked, walking around the table to glare at her and pull her towards the king by a hand on her shoulder.

"Unless you want to be strung up, you'll tell me why you think it's poisoned. Now." Uther demanded.

"He was seen lacing it."

"By whom?"

"I can't say." Emerlyn replied, glancing down at the table.

"I won't listen to this anymore." Bayard said. Uther walked around the table.

"Pass me the goblet." Uther said, and Arthur handed it to him as he rounded the table to stand in front of Bayard.

"If you're telling the truth…" Uther said to Bayard, staring at the goblet.

"I am."

"Then you have nothing to fear, do you?" Uther replied and Bayard pulled back his sword, sheathing it before grabbing for the goblet.

"No. If it does prove to be poisoned, I want the pleasure of killing you myself." Uther said, pulling the cup away and Bayard scoffed. Uther turned and held the goblet out to the witch.

"She'll drink it."

"But if it's poisoned, she'll die." Arthur's eyes widen, suddenly afraid for his servant. For Emerlyn.

"Then we'll know she was telling the truth." Emerlyn slowly took the goblet, her heart clenching at the thought of her own death.

"And what if she lives?" Bayard questioned.

"Then you'll have my apologies and you can do with her as you will." Uther replied, looking back at Bayard.

"Uther, please, she's just a girl, she doesn't know what she's saying." Gaius pleaded with his old friend.

"Then you should've schooled her better." Uther said with a glare at the physician before moving to walk back to his table.

"Emerlyn, apologize. This is a mistake. I'll drink it." Arthur said and tried to take the cup but she quickly pulled it away.

"No, no, no, no, it's all right." Emerlyn said, biting her lip before glancing at Bayard and Uther. She closed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath to calm herself, before she lifted the goblet in a silent toast to Bayard than Uther.

Eyes meeting Arthur's, Emerlyn was warmed by the concern and fear in his blue orbs before she tipped the goblet back and downed the wine. After several tense seconds, Emerlyn looked to Bayard with wide eyes.

"It's fine." She revealed, glancing back at Uther.

"She's all yours." Uther uttered, taking his seat.

Emerlyn's face scrunched up when she suddenly couldn't breathe, her hand clutching at her throat as she choked. Eyes even wider than before, she stumbles back, coughing, before crashing to the floor. Arthur rushed to her side as all the knights drew their weapons again and Uther surged to his feet.

"It's poisoned. Guards, seize them!"

"A-Arth…" Emerlyn choked out, staring up at the prince's stricken face before passing out. Filling with panic, Arthur shook his servant, trying to get a response as the hall erupted in chaos and Gaius hurried over, sliding to his knees next to his ward.

"Emerlyn. Can you hear me?" Gaius questioned, but the girl was unresponsive.

"We have to get her back to my chambers." Gaius muttered to Arthur, the urgency in his voice obvious.

The prince gave a nod and moved to pick her up, cradling her to his chest as he began making his way to the physician's chambers, not concerned with anything but making sure she lived.

Gaius and Gwen hurried after him, the maidservant clutching the poisoned goblet in her fist. She couldn't believe that Emerlyn had actually drunk poison, had saved the prince's life yet again; and this time, the witch might not survive. Trying to stifle the sobs that wanted to escape her throat, Gwen rushed after the two men, determined to help her friend as much as she could.

"Lay her on the bed. Quickly. She's struggling to breathe." Gaius commanded Arthur when they made their way into the chambers; the prince followed the orders without comment.

"Gwen, fetch me some water and a towel." Gwen sat the goblet down on the table before hurrying to do as she was told.

"Is she going to be alright?" Arthur asked as Gaius helped him lay her out on the bed, the worry thick in his voice.

"She's burning up." The physician said, his own concern for her mounting. Gwen brought him the towel and water, her face reflecting her distress.

"You can cure her, can't you, Gaius?" She asked, staring down at Emerlyn, who was still unresponsive.

"I won't know until I can identify the poison. Pass me the goblet." Gaius said, pressing the damp cloth to her forehead.

Arthur sat in the chair next to the sick bed while Gwen fetched the cursed thing, not sure what to do with himself. How could she have willingly poisoned herself, just to save him?

"Ah, there's something stuck on the inside." Gaius said, peering into the goblet. Arthur stood, making his way over to the old man.

"What is it?"

"It looks like a flower petal of some kind." Gaius responded, using tongs to grip the petal out of the cup. Gwen pressed the cloth against Emerlyn's damp flesh, trying to help in any way she could.

"Her brow's on fire."

"Keep her cool, it'll help control her fever." Gwen looked over at him before nodding.

Gaius moved away from the prince and goblet, going to find the proper tome as Arthur examined the goblet, still not believing what had happened. Would they be able to save his servant's life? Emerlyn's life?

"Ah. The petal comes from the Mortaeus Flower. It says here that someone poisoned by the Mortaeus can only be saved by a potion made from the leaf of the very same flower." Gaius said as Arthur moved to his side to glance at the book over the man's shoulder.

"It can only be found in the caves deep beneath the forest of Baloch. The flower grows on the roots of the Mortaeus tree." Gaius read, turning pages. Arthur peered closer to a page before pointing to the picture of a creature.

"That doesn't look particularly friendly."

"A cockatrice, it guards the forest. Its venom is potent. A single drop would mean certain death." Arthur turned to look at Emerlyn, seeing Gwen looking back at him in concern as she continued to pat her forehead with the cloth.

"Few who have crossed the mountains of Isgard in search of the Mortaeus Flower have made it back alive." Gaius continued to read before glancing up, the three sharing a long look.

"Sounds like fun." Arthur said finally, beginning to stride towards the door.

"Arthur, it's too dangerous." Gaius called out, knowing the king would never allow the sole prince to go on such a reckless adventure.

"If I don't get the antidote, what happens to Emerlyn?" He asked, imploring her guardian to be honest with him. Gaius sighed.

"The Mortaeus induces a slow and painful death. She may hold out for four, maybe five days, but not for much longer. Eventually she will die." Gaius admitted, his throat becoming tight at the prospect of his ward's demise.

Arthur glanced over at the girl, seeming to fight an inner battle with himself before he stepped next to the bed and ran a hand down her sweat soaked cheek. The same one that was still sporting a deep bruise from the day before.

"She knew that goblet was poisoned, yet she drank from it anyway. Emerlyn risked her life to save mine, and I cannot sit here and simply wait for her to die." Arthur muttered, staring down at his suffering servant. He'd give anything for her to open her eyes and give them her dopey lopsided smile before saying something she knows will irritate him.

"Arthur, your father will never allow you to leave on this errand. You know he will not let you risk your life for that of a servant." Gaius said as he came to stand next to the silent Gwen.

"I will find a way to go, no matter what." Arthur declared before departing, leaving the room in silence before Gwen sighed.

"I need to go see to Morgana, Gaius. But I'll be back as quickly as I can."

The old man gave a nod, knowing the king wouldn't look kindly on his ward's servant skirting her duties for the sake of a poisoned girl, even when said girl saved his son's life. A prince's life was worth much more than a servant's, after all.

/*/

"Father, I'm going to go on a scouting mission. If Bayard does intend war, we should know where his troops are sooner rather than later." Arthur said when he found his father, who was fuming in the council chambers.

"Send out some knights, you're needed here." Uther said, glaring at the table top.

"I'd be faster than any of the others." Arthur replied, hoping his father would just allow him to leave. He really couldn't afford to waste time arguing with Uther. The king glanced up at him before finally giving a nod.

"Take a couple men with you and be quick about it. If war is what Bayard wants, war is what he'll get."

Arthur bowed before hurrying out of the room, telling the guards to find Sir Leon and Olwen for him. He rushed to his room, packing a quick bag of food and supplies before making his way to the front chamber, where the two knights were waiting for him.

"You requested our presence, sire?" Sir Leon asked, stepping forward. Arthur motioned for them to follow him as he exited the building and moved towards the royal stables.

"We've been assigned a scouting mission. Grab your supplies and head out, go east and see if Bayard has set up any troops. I will go west and do the same." Arthur said over his shoulder, pulling his horse out of the stall and quickly going through the routine of brushing him before saddling his back. He didn't have time to allow a stable boy to do so, his urgency spurring his men into action.

They might not understand why he would separate from them, becuase if Bayard had ordered troops to march towards Camelot, it would undoubtedly be from the east; but he was their prince and they did as told.

Arthur swung up onto the saddle and glanced back at the castle, eyes going to the tower Gaius's chambers were located in. He sent a silent prayer that Emerlyn held on until he returned, before he turned his horse around and thundered out of the courtyard and down through town.

/*/

Gwen had returned to Gaius's chambers, the Lady Morgana giving her leave to see to Emerlyn, with the promise to be by later to check on her. She sat with the girl, keeping the rag on her forehead damp as her hot skin seemed to evaporate the water after only a few minutes.

"She's getting hotter." Gwen called out to Gaius, who was standing by the window, trying to think of something to help his charge. He made his way over to the pair, frowning when he heard Emerlyn begin chanting under her breathe.

"What language is that?" Gwen asked, glancing over at him.

"None, the fever has taken hold, none of those words are her own."

"Oh, I thought maybe it was a magic language." Gwen responded, seeing the shock slide over his face.

"What do you mean?" Gaius's voice was guarded, not sure what the servant was implying.

"She told me about her…gift." Gwen said with a shrug, going back to dabbing at her face. Gaius stared at her, his mouth agape with astonishment.

"She…told you?"

"Yeah, um…when I was accused of witchcraft. She explained everything yesterday, actually. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone." Gwen said, sending a sidelong look his way. The poor man looked close to fainting or having a stroke.

"I…her pulse is weaker." Gaius said, shaking his head as he tried to refocus on the important things, like the fact that Emerlyn's condition was worsening. He'd deal with her blabbing her secret later, after they'd saved the witch's life.

"What is it?" Gwen questioned, seeing the worried look that overtook his expression as he held her wrist to feel the heartbeat and seeing red splotches decorating her skin.

"That can't be right. The rash is not supposed to appear until the final stage." Gaius commented, sharing an anxious look with Gwen before standing to consult his book.

"What does that mean?" The maid asked as she stood and joined him as he held an enlarging glass over the text.

"It says here that once a rash appears, death will follow within two days."

"You said she had four days!" Gwen retorted, tears instantly flooding her eyes.

"Something's increased the flower's potency. It warns that the effect of the Mortaeus will be more rapid if an enchantment is used during the flower's preparation." Gaius read aloud.

"An enchantment? But Bayard's no sorcerer."

"No, he isn't." Gaius said, trying to think.

"Then, who did this? Will her magic help her at all?" Gwen asked, glancing back at the shaking girl.

"It can't have been, she wouldn't dare come here." Gaius murmured to himself before turning back to her.

"Unless…"

"Unless what?"

"What happened to that girl?"

"Which girl?" Gwen asked, confused. Did Gaius know who poisoned the cup or not?

"Just before Emerlyn burst in to the hall, one of Bayard's serving girls took her outside." Gwen tried to recall the girl Gaius mentioned, having a fuzzy memory of seeing her friend rushing from the room.

"She had dark hair…a blue head rap."

"Find her. Quickly." Gwen nodded before hurrying from the room, desperate to help Emerlyn.

Gaius went back to sitting next to the witch, who was alternating between chanting in the old language and murmuring Arthur's name. He hoped for her sake Gwen was able to find Nimueh, even though he had a feeling the sorceress had already fled, job accomplished.

/*/

Gwen jumped back from the chanting witch with a small yelp as her blankets began to glow. Gaius rushed over, his brow furrowing as he pulled her blankets back to investigate.

"What's happening, Gaius?" Gwen asked, not understanding. Sure, Emerlyn had revealed her secret to her, but the maidservant still didn't know the first thing about magic.

"Emerlyn, what are you doing?" Gaius muttered quietly, exposing her right hand, which had a blue-white orb floating above her palm. Gwen's eyes widened as she shared a shocked look with the man, the orb casting a soft light across the witch.

"H-how's she doing that?" Gaius glanced back down at his ward before looking up at her, just as lost as she.

"I'm…not sure. Emerlyn is…immensely powerful." Gaius tried to explain as he recovered her hand, worried about someone coming into his chambers. Gwen reseated herself, the proof of her friend's power startling.

"Do you think she's-I dunno-helping Arthur? She muttered about it being too dark." Gaius gave a shrug as he seated himself, brushing her sweaty hair from her face.

"Anything's possible, I suppose." The two relapsed into silence as they waited for Arthur to return, praying he wasn't too late.

/*/

Uther paced angrily up and down the council chambers, fuming at his son's lies. Sir Leon and Olwen had returned, reporting there were no signs of troops on the march and that Arthur had decided to scout to the west.

But there was no way Bayard would send troops through Glorois's lands, as Uther held them until Morgana came of age. Which meant Arthur had lied to him and his men and gone off to do something the King would not have allowed.

"Sire?" A guard questioned, having been summoned.

"When my son arrives, he is to be taken to the dungeon to await me. Is that understood?" Uther asked, glaring at the man until he gave a nod and left to relay the orders to the other guards. Turning back to the window, Uther glared out at the torch lit city, hurt his only son would deceive him so.

/*/

Arthur urged his stead closer to the draw bridge, relieved he had finally made it back home, the flower tucked safely away in his pouch. He was surprised, however, when the guards at the bridge came forward, not allowing him to pass.

"The King has ordered for you to be taken to the dungeons, my lord." One man said, the one they'd elected to speak, as the others didn't think they could. Arthur jerked the horse to a stop, glaring down at the men, making most of them begin to shudder, knowing how capable he was with a sword.

"If the King wishes my imprisonment, it will have to wait. You can either get out of my way, or I'll make you." He said, glaring at them as he unsheathed his sword threateningly.

"Sire-"

"No! You may follow me and take me prisoner once I've delivered something, but I will not go before. Now get out of my way." He said, rearing the horse back before surging forward. The guards scattered, afraid of being trampled, before they hurried after him.

/*/

Gaius rushed to his feet when Arthur burst into the room, his face anxious as he pulled his pouch from his side. The physician moved over to him, taking the pouch gratefully, pulling the yellow flower from its depths to begin making the potion.

"Will she be alright now?" Arthur questioned, moving over to the fevered girl. Gwen stepped back, wanting to give them some privacy; she made her way over to Gaius to help him set up the potion.

"Yes, I believe she should make a full recovery. Thank you Arthur." Gaius stated, his gratefulness towards the prince crystal clear.

"I'm sure she'd have done the same for me." Arthur replied, stroking his hand over her sweat soaked hair.

He hoped he'd been fast enough, that that dismal sorceress hadn't delayed him too much; that the beautiful light had led him to safety quickly enough. The prince was shocked at how affected he was by Emerlyn's illness; at how much he didn't want her to die. He was pulled from his thoughts when guards entered the chamber, looking unsure of themselves.

"Sire?" Sighing, Arthur left Emerlyn's side and walked over to Gaius.

"You'll be able to make the antidote?" He questioned, wanting to know for certain before he left. The man nodded, sending a confused look over at the men before turning back to the vial.

"Yes, sire." Arthur nodded before turning slightly to Gwen.

"Make sure she's taken can of, yeah?" He said, earning a small nod from the maidservant.

Turning away from the pair, Arthur allowed himself to be led to the dungeon, where his father would no doubt demand the truth. But his father's wrath was a small price to pay if Emerlyn's life was saved.

/*/

It'd been a week since she'd received the antidote and Emerlyn was still a little shaky. Gaius said it may take a couple of weeks for her to fully recuperate, which had been made a lot easier by Arthur's punishment, as she hadn't had to see to him. However, the witch felt awful for his imprisonment when he was there because of her, because he'd lied to the king to save her.

Staring into the flames, Emerlyn clutched the blanket tighter around her as she thought about Arthur Pendragon, the pratty prince who'd risked his own life for that of a servant.

How was she supposed to act around him now, now that he'd saved her life twice in a matter of days? It was different when she saved his, because the ignorant man didn't know about it. But, _everyone_ knew what he'd done, as the story had spread around the city like wildfire; and Emerlyn wasn't sure how she was supposed to react to it.

"Still alive, then?" Giving a start, the witch was pulled from her musings when the man of her thoughts came into the room.

Gaius sent him a nod before he left the room, softly closing the door behind him. He'd already yelled at the recovering girl for divulging her secret to Gwen, so he felt like he should allow the two privacy.

"Uh, yeah. Just about." Emerlyn replied with a small smile, turning to look at Arthur, who'd stopped by her chair. Arthur was glad to see a little color returned to her face, and that the bruise from the bandit's strikes was also lessening.

"I understand I have you to thank for that." Emerlyn murmured, staring up at him with her large cerulean eyes. Arthur fidgeted a little, uncomfortable with his new feelings for her now that she was well.

"Yeah, well, it was nothing. A half decent servant is hard to come by." The two shared a smile, knowing it was as close to "you're welcome" as Arthur was going to get. It was one thing to risk your life to save someone; it was another to be reminded of it by that very person, especially when they were from such a lower class.

"I was only dropping by to make sure you were all right, check you'd be back to work tomorrow." Arthur said, turning from the chair. Emerlyn shot to her feet, her small hand grasping at his jacket sleeve to halt his withdrawal.

"Thank you, Arthur. You didn't have to risk your neck for me." She murmured, stepping closer to the prince until they were almost touching. Arthur stared down at her, not sure what to do, especially when she wrapped her arms around him and rested her head against his shoulder.

Going completely still, Arthur darted his eyes to the closed door before slowly raising his hands up to stroke up and down her back. Her scent invaded his nose, filling he head as it had done the other day; he couldn't resist the temptation of her hair, sliding one hand through the silky strands and getting a contended sigh in response.

"Thank you, too." Arthur whispered, resting his head against hers. Emerlyn smiled into his shoulder and gave a small nod, not wanting the moment to end.

For once Arthur wasn't clad in armor, so she was rewarded with actually being able to feel his muscular body against her soft one, something the witch knew she shouldn't relish in so much. If Gwen or Morgana saw them, she'd never hear the end of it, that's for sure.

"Get some rest." Arthur said, stepping back and letting his arms fall lifelessly to his sides.

She nodded up at him, her face flushing now that they were parted. Arthur scratched at his jaw, suddenly uncomfortable before giving a curt nod and heading towards the door, needing to put distance between them.

Emerlyn watched him go, wondering if he was also beginning to feel the undeniable attraction between the two that she was starting to think would not simply dissipate over time. How could it, with them saving each other's lives every other day? Certainly that had to build some type of bond between two people, right?

Not having any answers to her inner wonderings, Emerlyn retook her seat before the hearth, hoping the nagging questions would leave her in peace for a while. She missed the days when all she had to worry or think about was if they'd have enough food to last the winter; when she was still ignorant of both her destiny and the reality of strong, muscular men and how they could distract a woman. Yes, things were certainly simpler then.

**AN: Okay, so I won't be updated until after I've posted for my TVD and Harry Potter stories, as they've been waiting very patiently while I got caught up in this. So please don't be mad if it takes a little longer for the next chapter. But you can always help my muse along by reviewing! Lol.**


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Thank you for all the reviews! I greatly appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment. I hope even more of you will do so again! And for those of you who didn't know, I had to go out of town recently and have just gotten back, so I apologize for the delay in updates!**

Raven Marcus: Thanks so much! I'm glad you like the story so far. Sorry for the delay! I hope you like this chapter too and let me know! Thanks again!

Guest: Yay, I'm so glad you liked the chapter! I really enjoyed the last chapter, as it was a major step for Arthur and Emerlyn and their relationship. As for Morgana and the plot twists, all in due time. I hope you like this chapter!

Styx: I'm happy you enjoyed the updates! I am really loving this story and it's completely overtaking my mind, even though I've been thinking about it already for months, lol. For the chest wrapping comment, I kept the wraps in the story because when she's in male clothing, she doesn't wear the traditional chemise underneath, so the wraps offer some support. I'm so glad everyone likes that I've brought Gwen into the know! It's always unnerving to add a completely new element to a show like this, so I'm overjoyed it's gone over so well. The bandit scene was cute to me too; I've just been trying to add in more scenes between the two, since they're not always in the show. And it offered a great way to introduce the girls' friendship and the fact that they know Emerlyn and Arthur are attracted to each other. I hope you like this new chapter and please let me know! Thanks again!

Anonyma: Thank you so much! You're review was humbling. I can't believe you like Emerlyn more than Merlin! Wow! That is such a complement! I don't really have the words to show how honored I am that you think I've made her so likeable. I'm so glad you like the story so far and I hope you'll continue to enjoy it and leave feedback! Thanks again!

**Disclaimer: I still own nothing related to Merlin.**

**For any of you who read my TVD story, I had to rewrite it because my computer deleted it, so it'll be a couple more days. Sorry!**

Chapter 5: A New Hero

The last few weeks had been strange, to say the least. After their…moment before the fire, Arthur and Emerlyn had pretended like it never happened and dove back into their usual antics.

Arthur, for his part, went out of his way to make the witch's life more hellish than usual, as if by being mean to his servant he'd be able to forget the feel of her in his arms.

Emerlyn just rolled her eyes and cursed him, not always silently, knowing as her master, Arthur could do as he pleased with her. It was irksome, as she'd had to muck the stables almost every day, something she despised.

What was the point of paying stable boys if you were going to continuously make your personal servant clean up after the horses? It was a waste of gold, in Emerlyn's opinion.

Not only had the witch had to endure the despicable treatment from Arthur, but Gaius had also been riding her rough since he found out Gwen knew her secret. He'd yelled, lectured, paced, and then finally dumped more chores on her shoulders on top of the ones Arthur had become fond of giving her. She swore her clothes still smelled like the damn leech tank, even though she'd scrubbed the garments until her hands bled.

This explained why she was out in the middle of the Darkling Woods at such a late hour, the sun having set a while before hand. Gaius apparently needed this specific mushroom, which couldn't wait until morning; meaning Emerlyn had to go out and fetch them while the physician slept.

Head snapping up at the sound of rustling, Emerlyn quickly stood to take a defensive stance. After the bandit attack, she wasn't going to sit by and allow herself to be a target simply because she was a woman.

But the creature that came charging out of the shadows was no thief and she could only run, trying to put distance between them while attempting to think up a spell. But her mind was completely blank with fear, the beast too scary for her brain to actually pause long enough to think. Stupid brain.

As her luck would have it, on top of a slowed thinking process, she was also a victim of her own clumsiness, tripping over a log and flying forward to land roughly on her hands. Quickly turning, so that her back was not to the angry creature, Emerlyn felt her heart stutter as it continued to streak towards her. Why was she always getting in these situations?

Just as the beast reared back in preparation to strike, a man appeared, thrusting his sword at it. The metal didn't appear to faze the animal, as it just screeched as he tried to harm it. Emerlyn watched in shock as the weapon broke upon impact with the beast's skin, a piece flying to the side.

"Run! Run!" The man yelled, turning away from the creature to do just that. He helped her to her feet and they sprinted away, trying to put as much distance between them as possible.

They ran until they came upon a fallen log, which they dove behind. Peering over the wood, the two watched as the beast gave another screech of irritation before flying away into the night sky.

"It's gone." The witch stated, glancing up at the departing animal. The two panted, trying to catch their breath.

"You saved my life. I'm Emerlyn." She said, holding her hand out to the handsome man. He took her hand, but instead of shaking it, he brought it up to his lips for a small kiss.

"Lancelot."

Emerlyn flushed before becoming alarmed when her rescuer went still, his hands falling away to reveal a blood stain forming on his side. The creature had obviously gotten a swipe at him and Emerlyn was afraid the wound would be fatal if she didn't get him to Gaius quickly.

Seeing no other option, as there was no way she could lift him, the witch made him weightless and dragged the limp body towards the draw bridge. She made sure to release the spell before the guards spotted them and came to investigate. Two of them helped her get Lancelot to the physician's chambers, who were peeved about being awoken until he saw the man on her bed.

"Gracious, child. Can you not do a simple task without someone getting hurt?" He asked in amusement as he set out to clean and stitch the man's wound.

"Hey! This wasn't my fault! Okay, so he was injured saving me, but I didn't make him do that!" Emerlyn retorted, crossing her arms over her chest and giving a small pout.

"Hmm. The wound itself is superficial. The fever will pass." The medicine man said, stepping into his mentor role. Even with being a powerful witch, he tried to teach Emerlyn as much about the medical field as possible, knowing that such knowledge may one day be of use.

"He should be fine by morning." Gaius remarked, tying off the thread.

"Good. I uh…may have forgotten to collect the basket with the mushrooms." She replied quietly, hoping her guardian wouldn't send her out again. The guards already gave her a hard time the first time around; she doubted they'd be any more pleased if she had to leave the city again that night.

"You can fetch them in the morning. Now get some sleep."

She grabbed a change of clothes from the cupboard for the morning, deciding to just sleep in her trousers and tunic. She wasn't comfortable changing near Gaius or Lancelot, no matter how handsome the latter one was.

/*/

Arthur had ridden out with his father before she'd arrived with his breakfast, so the young woman decided to share the meal with Lancelot. She made her way back to her chambers and set the plate down on the table to go wake her rescuer. Only, Lancelot was awake and staring out her window.

"Lancelot? How are you feeling?" She voiced, drawing his attention.

"Recovered. Thank you for getting me aid."

"It was the least I could do, seeing as you saved my life and all." The man sent a smile her way, noting how beautiful she was in the light of day, before turning back to observe the city.

"Ever since I was a child, I've dreamed of coming here. It's my life's ambition to join the Knights of Camelot." He said wistfully, earning a grin from her.

"I know what you're thinking. I expect too much. After all, who am I?" Lancelot asked, stepping down from the crate.

"They have their pick of the best and the bravest in the land…" Emerlyn arched a brow at him, wondering if he was always so self-deprecating.

"Lancelot."

"Yes?"

"They're going to love you." She said, blinding him with her smile.

"They are?" He asked, shuffling closer.

"I've seen you in action, remember? I've seen many of the knights fight and you could shame the great Arthur himself." That earned a scoff as he gave a light shake of the head.

"I hardly think so." Emerlyn gave her own scoff and eye roll at his bashfulness. Thinking quickly, she snapped her fingers when an idea came to her, grinning at him.

"In fact, you know what I'm going to do? I'm going to talk to him as soon as he returns from his trip." She said, giving a determined nod before heading towards the bedroom door.

"You know Arthur?" Lancelot couldn't hide the astonishment in his voice. Just who was this girl?

"Oh, yes, much to my dismay most days. Now I've brought us breakfast. So we'd better eat up."

He followed her out into the main chamber, where she pointed to a platter of fruit, bread and cheese. It was certainly a grander breakfast then he'd expected, given the quality of Emerlyn's clothes and room.

"Eat up. I'm going to go wait for Arthur." Emerlyn said as she grabbed up a block of cheese and a peach before departing, leaving the man just as confused as before.

/*/

When the prince did return, the witch wasn't able to question him as he immediately started barking out commands, demanding the practice felid be ready for wanna-be knights' final test. So instead of asking about Lancelot, she had to scurry to follow orders; she and a few other servants getting the field prepared quickly.

When Arthur appeared with the trainees, Emerlyn dashed back to her chambers to collect the hopeful man, who followed her in bewilderment. They stationed themselves against a sword rack, Emerlyn leaning against it while Lancelot stood tall and straight.

Arthur scowled when he spotted the stranger standing next to his servant, not liking how close they were. She should not allow any other man to stand too close, to the point of almost touching. Growling silently, the prince turned his anger towards Grimond, launching into his speech.

The two watched in wonder (Lancelot) as Arthur quickly dispatched the larger man, pulling the blue flag from him to be attached to his score board. Glancing back at Emerlyn, who gave him an amused look, he motioned for her to come to him.

"Take him away." He called to the servants standing by.

Emerlyn said a quick goodbye to Lancelot before hurrying to catch up with Arthur, who'd begun to march off. She had to try and catch the pieces of armor that he removed as he walked; but Arthur didn't seem concerned, still mad about how close she'd allowed the stranger. And who was that man anyways?

"Grimond's the third to fail this month. How am I meant to defend Camelot with rubbish like that?" Arthur asked in irritation.

"I think I might be able to help." Emerlyn said with a grin, earning a scoff from the prince.

"You, Emerlyn? You're a girl, so you haven't the faintest idea what it takes to be a knight. Courage, fortitude, discipline." Arthur replied, adding his sword to the heavy pile in her arms.

"A penis." He arched a brow at her muttered words.

"Yes, that too." He replied with a smirk.

"I know someone who has all that."

"Yeah?"

"He saved my life." Arthur scoffed and turned away.

"That's blown it for starters." He didn't know why, but Arthur hated the idea of any man besides himself saving Emerlyn.

"No, no, no. He's really good. Honestly." She gushed, which just set his teeth on edge.

"That's great, Emerlyn. I'm sure he's terrific, but you forget the first code of Camelot."

"The what?"

"The first code! Only those of noble blood can serve as knights. So unless your friend is a nobleman…"

"Oh, h-he is a nobleman." She stammered, not knowing what made her say that. She just wanted Lancelot to have his dream and the words were out of her mouth before she knew it.

"Is he?" The prince asked in surprise.

"Absolutely."

"Very well. Bring him to the training ground tomorrow. And make sure he brings his seal of nobility." He said before walking away. Oh they'd see just how heroic this man really was, Arthur promised himself. See if he was worthy of his servant's obvious admiration.

"Thanks, Arthur! You won't regret it." She called out, a stupid, face-splitting grin in place.

Emerlyn hurried to the armory, wanting to get his gear cleaned and polished quickly so she could speak with Lancelot. Hopefully he had at least a little noble blood running through his veins.

/*/

Lancelot cleared his throat, uncomfortable with the new situation he found himself in. Somehow, he'd allowed Emerlyn to talk him into mascaraing as a noble and now was being measured for armor.

"This is very kind of you, um…" He said, unnerved a little as the pretty woman measured his thigh width. Were all women in Camelot beautiful, or had he just been lucky in his meetings?

"Gwen." She said with a smile as she stood.

"Gwen?"

"Short for Guinevere." The seamstress replied, using the tape to measure his arm length.

"Ah. Then thank you, Guinevere."

"Don't thank me, thank Emerlyn. She would do anything for anyone, wouldn't you Emerlyn?" Gwen asked, sending her friend a smile as she moved around him. The witch flushed and gave a dismissive wave.

"Sorry. Can you just raise your arms? Sorry." Gwen muttered, having to step into his back to wrap the tape around his broad chest. Emerlyn noted the flush to her cheeks and hid her smirk. Maybe they'd found Gwen a knight to help on and off with his armor after all.

"I think it's great that Emerlyn's got you this chance. We need more men like you."

"You do?"

Gwen stared up a him, her face darkening even more. Emerlyn had to cover her mouth to keep from laughing at the flustered pair, relishing in the fact that it wasn't her and Arthur for once. Served Gwen right for teasing her so much.

"Well, not me personally. But, you know, Camelot. Camelot needs knights. Not just Arthur and his kind, but ordinary people like you and me." She stammered, tripping over her words in embarrassment.

"Well, I'm not a Knight yet, my lady." Lancelot responded with a smile.

"And I'm not a lady." Gwen laughed.

"Sorry, I…" He trailed off, not sure what to say.

"Okay, we're done. Um, I should have these ready in no time. It's nice to meet you, Lancelot." Gwen said, holding out her hand to shake.

Like he'd done with Emerlyn, he placed a quick kiss on the back of the offered appendage, making Gwen's eyes widen a little. The two shared a prolonged look; one Gwen wasn't familiar with, before he stepped back.

"I'll be by later, Gwen." The witch's voice was sing-songy as she tried to hide her smile. The two seemed dazed and out of sorts, and Emerlyn could just imagine they'd stay staring at each other for hours if she hadn't said anything.

"Uh, yes, right. Goodbye, Emerlyn, Lancelot." Gwen gave a little wave, disoriented. She'd never had such a strong reaction to a man and she couldn't decide if she liked the butterflies in her stomach or not.

Emerlyn smiled and pulled the almost-knight out of the small house. Lancelot trailed behind her, his eyes still clouded as his mind remained in a daze from the pretty girl.

/*/

Drawn by the sounds of fighting, Emerlyn turned the corner to see Lancelot and Arthur battling with wooden sticks. Her breathe caught at the slight; the young woman tried to decide if she should step in or not. But, judging by the way Arthur was acting, he was most likely testing Lancelot once more.

When the prince pushed the other man away and twirled the stick in his hands, the witch had to keep herself from swooning like a stupid girl. He was wearing his red tunic, only he had no ties, so the top was open, showing a decent amount of chest while he moved around cockily. Emerlyn would not allow herself to be caught ogling her master, so she turned her gaze to Lancelot, who looked dashing as well.

Arthur pushed to wanna-be knight harder than he'd originally intended, spying his servant out of the corner of his eye. Let her watch as he took her 'hero' to task and showed him how a real hero fought. Although, he did have to give the man credit, as he didn't back down or shy away, stopping only when Arthur jabbed his still sore side.

"Congratulations, Lancelot." Arthur said, throwing the broom handle at him, which the man caught.

"You just made basic training." The prince said and walked away, stopping short when the warning bells sounded.

Glancing back at the suddenly terrified citizens, Arthur took off, Emerlyn and Lancelot hot on his heels. The two diverged from him, heading to the courtyard where the wounded were being placed.

"What happened to these people?" The man questioned Gaius, who was looking over a battered woman.

"Their village was attacked by a winged monster." The physician responded, noting the look the pair shared.

There was no way that this beast wasn't the same one that attacked them, that they were sure of. With nothing else to do or go on, the two fell into work, helping Gaius dress wounds and calm the villagers down.

/*/

Emerlyn couldn't help but beam as she watched Lancelot and Arthur talk, thrilled that he'd gotten his dream and was now a Knight of Camelot.

She'd even brought out one of her dresses, this one made out of red cotton and covering all over her, so her shift did not show. To cinch the waist she used a simple silver cord her father had given her some years ago. It wasn't nearly to the quality of a noble's gown, but she thought she looked pretty in it, so that was all that mattered.

She smiled when Gaius came to stand next to her, his own eyes moving to the pair.

"Look at him, Gaius. Does Lancelot not deserve this moment? You should have seen him on the field! He played as if he was knocked out, and when Arthur went for his flag, he reached up and tripped him! It was brilliant." The girl said excitedly, still replaying that moment in her head. Sure, she had this strange attraction to the prince, when she allowed herself to admit it; but that did not mean she didn't appreciate Lancelot knocking him down a peg or two.

"I never said he didn't. But destiny and desserts are not the same thing. You played God, Emerlyn. You set him upon a path of your choosing. Tonight you have brought hi triumph. But who knows what the future may hold." Gaius responded seriously, making her pout at him.

"Yeah, I don't know what it said on your invitation, but on mine, it said, "Celebration?"" Gaius chuckled.

"Point taken. Don't come back too late." The physician started away, making the girl roll her eyes before she headed over towards Morgana and Gwen.

"Oh Emerlyn, we were just discussing your new friend. Wherever did you find him?" Morgana asked with a smile once she reached them. Gwen's face was flushed, so the witch had to guess she'd been getting teased by the lady before her arrival.

"He saved my life, actually. I was in the forest getting supplies for Gaius and the winged beast that's been terrorizing the nearby villages came for me. Luckily, Lancelot was there to scare it away." She replied, glancing over her shoulder at the men, who were laughing.

"Hmm, such a brave and handsome man. Camelot is indeed lucky he has arrived in such a time of need." Morgana voiced, grinning over the rim of her goblet. Emerlyn lifted up the pitcher in her hands, waiting for the older woman to offer her cup before refilling it.

"Yes, most fortunate indeed. The kingdom could use more men like him, right Gwen?" She asked, arching a brow at the flustered girl.

"Uh—right—yeah, of course." She mumbled, trying to keep herself from glancing over at the man who'd affected her so.

"Careful, Emerlyn. We wouldn't want Arthur to get jealous, now would we?" Morgana smirked at her.

"I haven't a clue to what you mean, my lady." Emerlyn retorted, not able to keep her eyes from seeking the blonde man out. Gwen sighed in relief that the teasing had moved on to the other servant.

"Hmm, I'm sure you don't. It's not as if the two of you can keep your eyes off each other." Morgana's amused voice was punctuated by Arthur's gaze meeting hers from across the room before dropping back down.

"Would you like some food, my lady? You must be starving." Emerlyn dodged, turning to grab a platter off the table and offer it to the laughing ward. Across the room, Arthur couldn't help but peer over at his servant, noting how nice she looked in her dress.

"Tell me, do you think her beautiful?" Arthur asked, eyes locked on Emerlyn's figure. Lancelot, however, was staring at another beauty.

"Yes, sire, I do." The prince frowned at his new knight, not liking his answer at all. But tonight was one of celebration, so he'd speak with Lancelot about keeping his pole to himself another night. Banging his hand on the table top to grab everyone's attention, Arthur stood up on his bench to give the toast.

"Ladies and gentleman. Please join me in a toast. To our new recruit. Our new knight of Camelot. Sir Lancelot." Everyone cheered and the music started back up, that party once more in full swing.

/*/

"I'm so sorry, Lancelot." Emerlyn murmured, leaning against the cell doors. She seemed to spend a lot of time apologizing for getting her friends arrested. She just couldn't believe how horribly wrong everything had gone.

"You're not to blame." The once knight replied, unmoving from his seated position.

"Yes, I am. I pushed you. I made you lie. And now you're imprisoned."

"The choice was mine. My punishment is mine to bear and mine to bear alone." Emerlyn just shook her head, hating the tears that sprang into her eyes. Now was not the time for her to be such a girl!

"I wish there was something I could do."

"There is. You can stop blaming yourself and dry your eyes. There's no need to spill tears over me, Emerlyn." That just made her lip begin to tremble before she departed, hating herself for always getting her friends into these situations.

/*/

"Lancelot!" Emerlyn called out, rushing to where he was saddling up a steed.

"I'm coming with you." She said, panting from her run.

"No, you're not. This creature it far too dangerous."

"What, because I'm a woman? Just try and stop me. Now let's go." She asserted.

"Emerlyn, you're not a soldier. You have no idea how to fight." Lancelot replied seriously.

"You said it yourself, Lancelot. Arthur needs all the help he can get. And he's sure to be wounded. Now let's go!" She demanded, pushing him aside so she could try and get onto the horse. Lancelot sighed before helping her on, knowing they were wasting time arguing. Time Arthur and the knights might didn't have.

They rode hard and fast, Emerlyn clutching the lance to her side so as not to drop it. By the time they reached the clearing, the soldiers were all on the ground, clearly having already faced the griffin.

Emerlyn rushed off the horse, hurrying to Arthur's side while Lancelot checked on some of the others. She sighed when she felt a pulse, thankful it didn't seem to be more serious, as the beat was strong and unwavering.

"Well?" Lancelot asked, crouching down next to her.

"He's alive." He nodded, but before anymore could be said, a loud hissing sounded. They two tried to located where the noise was coming from, but it was evident the beast was using its wings to stay airborne.

They shared a look before Lancelot moved back to his horse and the fallen lance, knowing it was unlikely he'd live through this. But to die protecting the prince of Camelot and his knights was to die with honor, no matter what insults Uther may have slandered against him.

The griffin landed and Lancelot got into position to charge it. Emerlyn glanced between them, knowing now was the moment of truth. Either she'd be able to save her friend's life and kill the beast, or he'd be another victim and it'd turn its attention on her. No pressure or anything.

"Okay, Emerlyn. It's now or never." She tried to give herself a pep talk as she got close enough to cast the spell. Lancelot began charging and she started chanting, hoping the difficult spell would finally work.

After two failed attempts, the witch had to square her shoulders and take a deep breath, knowing Lancelot's life hung in the balance. Centering herself and focusing on the lance raised in his hands, she once more chanted, feeling the rush of power surge through her body before escaping.

When a bright blue/white light enveloped the lance, she couldn't help but give an excited cheer and laugh, amazed she'd actually been able to do that. It was the most powerful spell she'd cast to date and the rush she got from it was exhilarating. Not to mention she'd saved lives once more.

Lancelot was pushed backwards on his horse from the impact, his back bending as he tried to remain seated. The beast screeched as it fell to the ground, finally conquered. He eased the horse out of its gallop, turning it back to face Emerlyn, who he gave an astonished look.

"Yes!" She threw her arms up in victory, beaming at him. But he knew it was not he who had slain the creature. Her happy dance was interrupted by moaning, the men beginning to awake from their oblivion. It never ceased to amaze her just how often the men got knocked out and then woke up after she'd saved the day. Men, such lazy creatures, making her do all the work.

Knowing she could not be seen, Emerlyn gave a quick wave to Lancelot before dashing away, thankful they were only just outside the city walls. She didn't even want to think what Arthur would do to her if he knew she'd been there. He made her life hell already, she did not wish to add to that at all.

/*/

"Perhaps you were right, Gaius. I should have never gotten involved." The witch said as they watched the used-to-be knight ride away.

"No, Emerlyn. I was wrong. Lancelot needed you and you needed Lancelot. Your destinies were intertwined." Gaius responded.

"Will he ever return?" She questioned, already missing the honorable man. Camelot would not be the same without him.

"That I cannot say."

"Till the next time then, Sir Lancelot." She murmured, the small figure disappearing into the trees.

She would miss the knight, who'd quickly become a close friend, who knew her secret. Gaius spotted Arthur making his way over and pat her shoulder before leaving.

"Watching your friend leave?" She turned at his question, a sad expression on her pretty face.

"Yes. I will miss Lancelot. He was…very special." Arthur felt his insides clench, hating the affection in her voice. He may have ended up liking and respecting the man, but he didn't want Emerlyn to pine for him so.

"I'm sure you'll see him again." Emerlyn turned back to stare out at the trees as Arthur came to stand next to her.

"I hope so. I feel retched for Gwen, though. The two seemed to like each other, and now he's gone." Ears perking up, Arthur nudged her shoulder with his.

"Gwen? He liked Gwen?"

"Oh yeah. You should have seen how awkward they were when they first met. It was adorable." She laughed, shaking her head lightly at the memory.

Arthur's chest untightened at her words, relieved she didn't seem upset about the couple's feelings. Turning slightly, Emerlyn smiled up at him as she lightly leaned against him.

"Thank you for fighting for him, Arthur. I know w-he lied, but I'm just glad you came to see the man Lancelot really is, title or no title."

"He saved my life and the kingdom; he earned his place here, no matter what the King believes."

Heart filling with emotion for the slowly evolving prince, Emerlyn lightly pressed her lips to his cheek before walking away. Amazed at her own boldness, she felt her cheeks flush scarlet. But she didn't regret it, and by the surprised look on his face, he wasn't angry about her unservant-like behavior.

Arthur's cheek burned from the press of her lips, minimal as it was. He turned to watch the girl make her way back towards the citadel, not believing she'd actually just done that. If anyone'd seen her, Emerlyn could have ended up in the stocks or the dungeons.

Hating the surge of emotion in his chest, Arthur decided he needed to practice with weapons, any weapons, to work out his frustration. Sometimes he cursed the day Uther ever made Emerlyn his servant.

**AN: So what do you think? Please review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**So I hadn't planned to update so soon, but I thought I'd let you guys have this anyway. So review to say thanks!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Merlin.**

Chapter 6: Emerlyn's Green-Eyed Monster

It'd been two weeks since the Edwin Murden incident and things had gotten back to normal. Gaius was back to working and sending her on errands and Arthur had quickly returned to running her ragged with chores. She was surprised how relieved she was when things settled down, not even minding the excessive chores as much as she used to, just thankful that everything had worked out.

Which explained why she was currently traipsing through the forest, weapons and dead rabbits slung over her shoulders or clutched in her hands. Arthur wanted to go hunting, and instead of bringing a squire (who had more upper body strength); she was forced to watch as he killed poor furry creatures.

Spying the doe her master had his eye on, she debated if she should intervene or not. On the one hand, she enjoyed venison when she was able to get a nibble and knew Arthur would be pleased with himself for the kill. On the other hand, the deer might have little ones to take care of who would be left motherless if she were killed.

Decision made, the witch waited until the prince had stopped to take aim before running into him, making the man stumble to the side.

"What is it?" She questioned, trying not to laugh when the dead rabbits hit him in the face. Serves him right.

"You really are a total buffoon, aren't you, Emerlyn?" Arthur asked angrily, turning to glare at his mentally challenged servant.

"I was just asking…"

"Who? Me or the deer? We're supposed to be hunting. It requires speed, stealth and an agile mind." The prince tapped at her forehead, which made the raven haired girl roll her eyes.

"So you're able to get by on two out of three, then?" Arthur scowled at her, which just made her smirk before they were startled by a woman's scream. Sharing a look, the gallant prince grabbed up his sword and went running, his servant right behind him.

/*/

Emerlyn followed Arthur back towards his chambers from the throne room, mind racing.

Sophia and her father, Aulfric, were now staying in the castle until they decided to leave, however long that might be. She hadn't been blind to the awestruck look on the prince's face at the first sight of Sophia, or the way he'd been extra 'princely', making the witch's stomach churn.

Hating the fire that was blazing in her belly, which felt too much like jealous for her likes, Emerlyn tried to quiet her mind. Just because she had thought her and Arthur had been having moments did not mean he actually had feelings for her.

So he had gone out and risked his life to save hers, it wasn't like he wouldn't have done that for anyone else. And the jealousy she thought she had seen with regards to Lancelot was really just her imagination, because clearly he did not have romantic feelings for her.

And besides, he was a prince, destined to rule, and would end up married to someone like Sophia. Royal, rich, and beautiful. The witch just hoped that she'd found a love of her own before that happened, or at least she'd gotten over the little infatuation she currently had for the prat.

"Make sure you put her in a decent room." Arthur commanded as he removed his gloves. She went over to set out his meal, keeping her eyes on her work.

"Of course, sire." He gave her an arched brow at her respectful tone, but she just busied herself filing his goblet.

She could not afford to let her feelings be known, so she resolved to be as distant, yet respectful, as possible. No need to end up in the stocks just because she couldn't calm her jealousy.

/*/

Gaius watched as Emerlyn stomped around the chamber, her face pulled down in a look of pent up frustration. He'd given up working after the fifth book slamming onto a surface as the girl cleaned. Whatever it was that put her in such a foul mood was making his day very difficult.

"Emerlyn, what in heavens is the matter? You've been sulking around since you got here, and it's very distracting."

The witch looked over at his words, noting for the first time the many botched potions that littered his work table. Feeling guilty for her black mood making her guardian lose concentration, she quietly set the books in their proper place before turning to face him fully.

"I'm sorry, Gaius. I hadn't realized I was making such a ruckus."

"What's troubling you, child?" The physician questioned, his inner nurturing side coming out at her obvious distress.

"Oh, it's nothing. Just Arthur being a prat, as always." Emerlyn said dismissively, moving to wipe down a table. But the old man wasn't as easily dismissed as she would have liked.

"This wouldn't have anything to do with a certain father and daughter duo arriving today, would it?" He didn't miss the way her body tensed up before being forced to relax. He'd clearly found the problem.

"Of course not, Gaius, don't be ridiculous. I'm thrilled the prince was able to save them, even if I had to intervene once more to save _him_. Why would I have an issue with their prolonged stay?" The girl questioned nonchalantly. When her guardian quirked a brow at her, clearly seeing through her, she headed to her room.

"I need to clean my clothes." Gaius watched as she trudged into her room, the thin door clicking shut behind her.

It was very apparent that Emerlyn's disheartened mood was very much due to the Tirmawr's arrival. And he'd bet a week's wage it was because of Arthur's besotted behavior. He only hoped things resolved themselves before the king found out about her inappropriate feelings, as that would end well for no one.

/*/

The servant began making Arthur's bed as he dressed behind the screen, hating how upset she still was. So what if the prince was infatuated with the beautiful Sophia. It wasn't like she'd ever stood a chance anyways. Besides, Arthur Pendragon was an arrogant, annoying prat of a prince and she was better off without him.

Arthur stepped out from behind the screen, watching as his servant straightened his sheets. He wasn't sure what had gotten into her, but she'd been acting strangely since the day before. Emerlyn had never been one to do her chores quietly and act so deferentially. At least not around him.

"I'm taking Sophia out for a ride today. You know, show her around." She gritted her teeth as she moved his pillows.

"And where do I come into this?" Arthur's lips twitched at her irritated question, glad to see a little of the 'normal' Emerlyn emerge.

"Well, I'm supposed to be on a patrol with the guard and my father this morning. So, I need you to cover for me."

"Have you lost your mind? I'm not lying to the King, Arthur! He'll put me in the stocks, and I've no desire for that." Emerlyn replied angrily, glaring at him. How dare he ask such a thing from her just to spend time with _Sophia_.

"Emerlyn. I need you to do this for me." Arthur murmured, making his blue eyes do the puppy dog impression.

"NO! Nope. Not going to happen. I'm a terrible liar, especially to someone as powerful as the King. He'll never believe me."

"Look, I promised Sophia I'd take her out and if I don't turn up, it'll blow my chances." Stomach clenching at his words, Emerlyn turned away from him to finish making his bed.

"You like her, then?"

"Yeah, what's not to like? I want to spend some more time with her, but I need to get my father off my back. I can't order you to lie to the King, but you'll be a friend for life if you do."

"If he doesn't have me killed first." Emerlyn retorted, moving away from the bed angrily to gather up the clothes strewn around carelessly.

"Emerlyn, please. I've never felt this way about a girl." Heart constricting painfully at his words, the servant felt tears spring into her eyes. Well that successfully shattered any misguided daydream she may have had of him having feelings for her.

"Go on then, you don't want to keep _precious Sophia_ waiting." She kept her back to him, not wanting him to see the humiliation and devastation on her face.

"Thanks, Emerlyn. I won't forget this." Arthur said happily before departing.

"Neither will I." She mumbled to herself, wiping angrily at her eyes. She was not going to cry over that prat! She wasn't!

/*/

"Oh Emerlyn! What happened?" Gwen's voice sounded from her left, drawing the food covered girl's attention before she quickly lowered her head, not wanting a tomato to the face. Any romantic, girlie feelings she'd stupidly had for the prince were gone now. They were!

How dare he let her get put in the stocks so he could shirk his duties! Arthur was spoiled and conceited, not caring about how his actions affected others. She was glad she'd been reminded of his true colors before she'd fallen for him any harder.

"Gwen, what're you doing here?" Her friend stepped closer, sending a glare at the woman throwing rotten fruit. And was that a potato? Ouch.

"I was headed home. Whatever did you do?"

"It was the prat's fault! I told him I was a terrible liar and he made me do it anyway. He's lucky I don't curse boils on his dangly bits!" Emerlyn gritted out angrily. Gwen could reasonably conclude that the 'prat' was the prince.

"What'd he have you lie about?"

"He wanted to spend tie with precious Sophia. So I had to tell the King _I'd_ forgotten he was supposed to go on patrol this morning. Which is how I ended up here."

Feeling sorry for the witch, especially since her and Morgana knew fully well the seemingly reciprocated feelings between master and servant, Gwen laid a soothing hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Em. It was wrong of him to ask you to do that." She stroked her back, which was beginning to ache from being hunched over.

"I'm just a servant, Gwen, and he's the prince. It's my job to do as he says." Gwen hated how defeated the normally vivacious girl seemed. She wished she could do something to help.

"It was still wrong and he shouldn't have asked that of you. Sophia was what I wanted to speak with you about, actually."

"What about her? Besides that she's apparently _perfect_." Emerlyn questioned, looking up to see the worried look on her friend's face.

"Well…Morgana thinks she had a dream about her. _Before_ she arrived." Gwen whispered in her ear, barely missing a tomato to her own face. Whipping her eyes up, she sent a scathing glare at the thrower.

"Oh?"

"Yes. And she dreamt that Sophia drowned Arthur." Emerlyn's breath hitched, not sure what to make of it.

"I'll…look into it."

"Thank you, Em. I'm sure the guard will release you shortly."

"One can hope." With a last pat on the back, Gwen continued home, hoping Emerlyn would keep the prince safe, no matter how hurt her feelings were.

Knowing the witch as she did, the dark-skinned servant was certain that Emerlyn would never allow her personal feelings get in the way of Arthur's safety, so she wasn't as worried about it as before.

/*/

"Have you been playing with your food again?" Emerlyn rolled her eyes at Gaius's amused greeting, moving to the large bathing tub to fill with water.

"No. The King put me in the stocks."

"What did you do this time?"

"Nothing. It was Arthur's fault because he didn't want to go on patrol this morning and needed me to cover for him. Hence, the last two hours of my life have been wasted having fruit thrown at me for the enjoyment of others." The witch said irritably, moving to grab the privacy screen.

"And Arthur was prepared to let you do this?"

"Ha! It was his idea. Clotpole."

"What made him neglect his duties? It must've been something terribly important."

"If you call running around the woods with _Sophia_ important." Gaius arched a brow at her answer, watching as she filled a small bowl to rinse her hair before her bath.

"The girl from the forest?"

"Mmm-hmm. He wanted to take her out for the day. He is apparently besotted." The physician didn't miss the bitterness of her tone as she started pulling pieces of fruit from her raven locks.

"But they've only just met."

"I know. I guess it must've been love at first sight, as he said he'd never felt that way about anyone."

Gaius's mind whirled with theories as Emerlyn finally moved to her bath, pulling the screen around to give her privacy. And if she silently cursed Arthur as she scrubbed her skin clean, that would just remain her little secret.

/*/

She'd once more ended up in the stocks, having to cover for her master yet again. Emerlyn was sure King Uther would just execute her soon, tired of her apparent stupidity. If ever she wished to be in Ealdor, it was now.

So, not only had she had fruit pelted at her once more, but she also hadn't had time to look into Gwen's worries. She felt slightly childish, but a part of her almost wished Sophia wanted to harm Arthur just so she could curse her. Or at the very least, make a tree branch fall on her perfect blonde head.

"Not again, Emerlyn, surely…" Gaius said when she entered the chamber, head and tunic covered in bits of food.

"Oh yes, Gaius. This is my lot in life, being a servant and all." She bit out, moving to the washing basin to rinse her hair out.

"I heard that Arthur wasn't at the knighting ceremony."

"Yeah, he wanted to spend more time with _her_." She couldn't even bring herself to say the name, so angry was she.

"You shouldn't have done that, Emerlyn. I fear that Sophia may not be all that she seems." The witch stood up from the bowl, focus shifting entirely to her guardian.

"Why?"

"What do you know about seers?"

"Not much. They're supposed to be able to see the future, like prophets." Emerlyn replied as Gaius began making his way towards her.

"It's said to be an innate ability. Those who have it are born that way. Some aren't even aware that what they see is the future, it comes to them in their dreams."

"Are you…is this about Morgana's dream? You think she's a seer?" He gave her a surprised look, not expecting for her to already be aware.

"You know about her dream?"

"Gwen told me about it, said Morgana had had it before they'd even come to Camelot."

"Yes, she had it the night before. She came to see me about it."

"So she is a seer?" Emerlyn asked in wonder, astonished at finding another magical person so close to Camelot. Any the king's own ward at that.

"I've been watching Morgana since she was very young. And though I've tried to persuade myself otherwise, I realized that some of the things she said she'd dreamt came to pass. I kept it secret from Uther, of course. The gift of prophecy is too close to the work of magic."

"So she really is a seer?"

"I fear so, Emerlyn. Morgana said she dreamt that Sophia killed Arthur, and I am inclined to perceive this as a true vision. I was caught in Alfuric's room and in a flash of anger, his eyes turned a bright crimson." Her hurt and anger towards Arthur quickly vanished as the threat to his life become clear.

"Who are they?"

"It's not who they are that worries me, it's what they want with Arthur."

Sighing, Emerlyn resigned herself to another night's sleep lost in her destiny to save Arthur. Her work was never done.

/*/

Okay, so the Sidhe were completely terrifying. Not in a scared for your life way, but in an 'it's so hideously ugly and vicious' way. She'd expected Avalon to be this wondrous place filled with magic users, not an underwater domain inhabited by small, blue-winged devils. If she was Sophia, she'd much rather keep her human body.

And with Gaius believing Sophia had enchanted Arthur, Emerlyn knew she'd never be fond of the creatures. With knowing now that they were magical begins set on Arthur's demise, she felt no remorse over the probability of having to use her power on them. It would serve them right anyway.

"I have your breakfast, sire."

"No time for that. I must see my father." Arthur dismissed, pulling on a jacket. Setting the tray down, the witch gave him a questioning look.

"Is something the matter? You usually never turn down a meal."

"I must speak with the king about marrying Sophia, so excuse me if I don't think food is all that important." Arthur retorted, missing the shocked look on her face. Sure, he was enchanted, but she hadn't thought the Sidhe trollop would make him _marry_ her.

"Don't you think it's a little early for marriage, Arthur?"

"We're in love. Besides, it's no concern of yours, Emerlyn. You're a servant, after all." Arthur bit out before leaving, hating how no one seemed to see how wonderful Sophia was.

"He's under a spell." Emerlyn muttered to herself, trying to push down the hurt of his words. Arthur was many things, but since she'd been his servant, he hadn't been overly cruel to her. So she just had to remember that he wasn't himself or else her heart really would just be a big bruise.

/*/

After the disastrous meeting with the king, Emerlyn was hesitant to seek the prince out. But she had to try and break the enchantment before the Sidhe lured him away from the city. To save Arthur's life (yet again), she just had to push past her own feelings.

"Get out." Arthur said when he spotted her before resuming his packing.

"I thought that went poorly." She replied, not letting him derail her.

"I don't need sympathy, Emerlyn, especially not from you."

"But I did think the King had a point." She trudged ahead, walking over to the bed.

"I ordered you to get out. Now leave me!" The prince said angrily.

"I know what you think you're doing, and I know you think you're in love with Sophia…"

"Who are you to tell me what I'm thinking?"

"I'm your friend, Arthur." She said quietly.

"No, Emerlyn, you're my servant." Moving quickly so she was right next to him, the witch hesitantly reached out to lay a hand on his arm.

"Is that truly all I am to you, Arthur? A mere servant?" He looked at her, his face clouding in confusion.

"Uh…" Seeing her opportunity, she plowed ahead.

"She's cast a spell on you. You're enchanted, Arthur! Why else would you want to marry her after knowing her only two days?" Arthur's face scrunched up as he seemed to actually think about her words, but it quickly cleared with Aulfric and Sophia entered the room.

"I told you people would try to keep us apart." Sophia murmured, her staff clicking against the floor.

"I know. I won't let that happen."

"Don't listen to her, she's controlling you." Emerlyn said, hand tightening on his arm as she silently willed him to break the spell.

"We can elope together. Get away from this place, these people." Sophia persuaded, not even bothering to look at Emerlyn.

"I saw you. I followed him. They're planning to sacrifice you." She said, glaring at the old man, making him scoff.

"You let your servant talk to your guests this way?" He demanded.

"I know what you're planning because I followed you to the lake and saw everything." She retorted.

"Don't listen to her, Arthur. She's just jealous. Let's go. Let's leave tonight." Sophia implored.

"She's going to kill you. Sophia plans to sacrifice you to buy a life of immortality. If you go with her, you'll die." Emerlyn said, pulling Arthur's arm until he was facing her fully.

"I-It doesn't make sense. We're in love." Arthur said, head buzzing as he tried to understand just what was going on.

Having had enough, and hoping this worked, Emerlyn roughly pulled his face down to hers and pressed her lips to his. If she hadn't been so desperate to break the enchantment, she might have been able to appreciate their first kiss more.

Pulling away, she stared into his blue eyes, hoping her actions would bear fruit. And when it seemed his gaze was clearing, she wanted to shout with relief and glee.

"Stupid girl."

Turning, she was shocked to see the blazing eyes of the Tirmawr right before Aulfric sent a blue electric bolt at her. She groaned as her body hit the stone wall before sliding down to the floor, oblivion quickly taking her.

/*/

"Come on Arthur, wake up!" Emerlyn muttered, slapping at his cold cheeks. But she wasn't getting any response. Trying to think like Gaius, the witch quickly started pulling his armor off, figuring water was trapped in his lungs.

When she finally got down to his tunic, she pressed down firmly on his chest, hoping she was doing this correctly. It would be utterly ridiculous if she'd gone to so much trouble to save him only to let him drown.

After a couple more firm presses, the prince started coughing, prompting her to turn him on his side so he didn't choke on the water.

"W-what happened?"

"Uh, you slipped on a rock and fell into the lake. Don't you remember?" Emerlyn thought quickly, not wanting to explain where Aulfric and Sophia had disappeared to.

"I…what? How'd I get here?"

"Don't worry about it right now. Let's just get you back to Camelot." She helped him up, wincing as her body protested loudly to the added weight.

"My head is killing me." Arthur groaned, trying to piece everything together.

"I'm sure it'll pass, sire." The two started walking, the prince's armor forgotten, with Arthur's arm strewn across her shoulders.

"Did I…did I almost drown?" His throat and lungs were burning fiercely, already answering his question.

"The weight of your armor pulled you down." She muttered, hoping he'd leave it be, as she really was a horrible liar.

"Thank you, for saving me." The sentence was uttered so quietly she almost didn't catch it. But she did and her heart responded by leaping in her chest.

"You're welcome." Arthur glanced down at her, finding it hard to believe the girl had really rescued him. But he was delighted to see the way her face flushed and her eyes fluttered, so he let his initial denial pass. She was so pretty when flustered, after all.

/*/

Staring up at the dark ceiling, Emerlyn tried to quiet her mind so sleep could take her. But it seemed a futile quest, as she could not stop her thoughts from straying. Not only had she _kissed_ Arthur, but she'd also found out Morgana was a true seer.

She desperately wanted to talk with the other woman, to admit the truth and help her hone her own ability. But Gaius was firmly against it, so she wasn't sure what to do. She knew firsthand how scary it was to have a power inside you that you didn't understand and couldn't control.

The witch just hoped to the gods above that Uther never caught wind of this, as she doubted he'd show mercy for Morgana. And if the king's ward would be executed so readily, then the king would not bat and eye to sentence a lowly servant to death. And Emerlyn was too young and pretty to die.

**AN: So, what'd you think? Like it, hate it? Please review and let me know!**


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: I was really sad that only two people seemed to like the last chapter. I'm not exactly sure what I did wrong with it, because I thought it was cute. But please leave some feedback for this chapter to let me know what you think.**

Guest: Thanks so much! The chapter did not get the response I was expecting, so I really appreciate you taking the time to leave a review. It made me a little happier when I read it, so thank you. You're instincts about the subtle changes having a huge effect on the future story line is on the mark. I mean, I still plan to follow the series, as I haven't ever said this was an AU story, but there are going to be major changes ahead for the characters that I'm hoping the readers will enjoy. Thanks again for the review!

**Disclaimer: I don't anything related to Merlin.**

Chapter 7: Pride and Fear

Emerlyn lightly bit her lip as she approached the door that led down to the cavern. She'd been avoiding seeing the Great Dragon for the past two weeks, unsure of her welcome after her actions.

She knew he was disappointed she'd helped the druid boy escape and she really didn't want to be lectured by the large reptile. But, she missed their chats and didn't want him to think she was too childish to face him, no matter how much she wanted to be anywhere else.

This was why she found herself descending the dark stairs, torch in hand. If she wanted to be treated like a mature adult, then she had to act like one. It was her decision to help Mordred, as Arthur called him, escape and she'd just have to stand by it.

"I didn't expect to see you so soon, young witch." Kilgharrah's voice boomed through the cavern as he flew down to perch in front of her, his large chain rattling.

"I figured it was time I stop avoiding you." The girl replied, setting the torch into the sconce that she'd installed. No need to keep a hold of a piece of burning wood if it could be avoided.

"Well I certainly wasn't going anywhere."

Lips twitching in amusement at his response, Emerlyn had to force herself not to smile. There really wasn't anything funny about his situation, and she doubted he'd appreciate her amusement, even if his statement was the cause.

"I know you're not thrilled with me, but I stand by my decision, Kilgharrah. Mordred may be destined to kill Arthur if not stopped, but that doesn't give me the right to just let the boy die.

"If I'm to help bring Camelot into a new era, as you believe, then I have to stay true to myself. And letting him be executed before he's even had a chance to live, to choose to be good or evil, wasn't right."

Emerlyn crossed her arms over her chest as she stared at the huge beast. The dragon seemed to consider her words, his massive head tilted to the side before he gave a slight nod.

"You speak a truth, young witch. Remember, however, that that boy is your enemy."

"I'll be on my guard, I promise. I won't let him hurt Arthur. I simply hope it is a few years yet before I must face him again." The thought of killing a young boy was horrifying to her, so she just hoped he'd wait until he was older to become an issue.

"What news from above?" The dragon changed the subject, finding he'd actually missed the girl's visits. Even if the subject matter held litter interest for him, he still relished in the company after twenty years of solitude.

"Oh, the castle is just buzzing with preparations for Arthur's crowning. I swear his ego has gotten even larger, if you can believe it. I'll just be happy when it's over and things get back to normal." Emerlyn replied, rolling her eyes as she remembered the smug prat she'd had to deal with. She wouldn't be surprised if he did it just to aggravate her, especially since she'd noticed how much he'd actually changed since she'd arrived.

No longer was he the spoiled, arrogant prince that tortured servants for amusement. Instead, he was the brave, arrogant prince that risked his life for hers. And who bought her a pretty blue gown. And who looked really good without a shirt on.

"Yes, I imagine the coming of age is a very exciting time for our young prince." Kilgharrah spoke, remembering the extravagant celebrations of the old.

"Yeah, well, that doesn't mean he has to be such a clotpole."

He found her pouting amusing, knowing it was due to a lot more than the prince's behavior. If what he'd foreseen was true, the young girl was most likely having problems dealing with her own feelings. Not that he'd mention it, as it was her path to walk.

"Anyway, I guess I should go. I've got a pillock to look after." She gave a sigh before picking the torch back up.

"Have a goodnight, Emerlyn."

Smiling, the witch waved before leaving the dragon alone once more. At least the air was cleared between them, so she'd be sure to reassume her visits.

/*/

"Em, you look…wow." Gwen said in awe as the friends met up in the hallway. Emerlyn blushed, unused to looking so…girly. She was dressed in the blue gown Arthur had gotten for her, her hair left in soft curls down he back with a few pieces pulled back with a white ribbon and small white flowers woven into the locks.

"Thanks, Gwen. I haven't had occasion to wear this dress, so I thought tonight was appropriate."

"Well you look wonderful. The prince won't be able to take his eyes off you."

"W-What?" The witch stammered, her eyes wide with surprise at the normally quiet girl's words. She darted a look around, hoping no one had heard her and reported back to the king.

"I'm not blind, Em. But your secrets are safe with me." Gwen smiled, amused at how flustered her friend had gotten. She knew, no matter how they might try to deny it, that Arthur and Emerlyn were greatly attracted to each other. Besides, it felt nice to tease Emerlyn since the witch had done the same to her with Lancelot.

"Uh…I got to…I'll see you later." The raven haired beauty hurried away, her cheeks a deep crimson, which only intensified with the sound of Gwen's soft laughter.

At the same time, she was highly pleased with her friend's words, hoping they turned out to be true. After the Sophia fiasco, she hadn't been able to convince herself that she didn't like the prince in a romantic way. This was a major reason she'd spent hours preparing for tonight, wanting to make sure she looked as attractive as possible.

When she stepped into Arthur's chambers, she'd managed to cool her cheeks and adopt her normal, easy smile. This turned into one of pure feminine satisfaction when the prince choked on his drink at the sight of her.

"Sire, are you alright?" The witch asked, rushing forward to try and ease his coughing. Arthur managed to get control of himself, his face red from embarrassment.

"I'm fine." He said gruffly, eyes darting down her figure as he took another sip to sooth his throat. The dress he'd purchased for her had either been her exact size or she'd had it tailored, as it fit her as if made for her.

The bodice was tight and accentuating, revealing her normally hidden curves, making him once more aware of just how much a woman his servant actually was. The skirt fanned out around he hips, skimming the floor at a more practical length then fashionable.

Added to the gown, Emerlyn's hair was left down in curls and her face seemed to shine in the dim light, her blue eyes sparkling like sapphires. She was absolutely mesmerizing. He doubted Morgana herself had ever looked as breathtaking.

"We'd best get you dressed. The King will be mad if you're late to your own ceremony." Emerlyn said, moving over to begin setting the designated clothes by the privacy screen. She could feel his heated gaze on her the entire time, making her pulse quicken and her stomach begin fluttering.

"You look…very nice." Arthur's voice was still a little raspy, and it sent a shiver of delight down her back.

"Thank you, sire. I thought this night was a good one to finally wear this." She sent a grin over her shoulder, her eyes sparkling. Arthur slowly got to his feet and moved over to the screen, his gaze returning to her every few seconds.

"You should wear dresses more often." He ducked behind the screen before she could respond, quickly changing out his outfits.

Emerlyn just smiled to herself, pleased Gwen's earlier comments were turning out to be right. It was about time the prince admit, at least to himself, that he liked her as more than just a servant. And if she got some satisfaction out of him being completely distraction by her appearance, well, that would just stay her little secret.

/*/

"Do you solemnly swear, to govern the people of this kingdom and its dominions according to the statutes, customs and laws laid down by your forebears?"

"I do, sire."

"Do you promise to exercise mercy and justice in your deeds and judgments?"

"I do, sire."

Emerlyn's chest filled with pride as Arthur officially accepted his birthright. He may still be annoying and arrogant, but he'd changed so much since they'd first met.

He was officially a man today, but he had also _grown_ into one over the last several months. He was finally becoming someone she was happy to serve and protect; someone she actually respected.

"Do you swear allegiance to Camelot, now, and for as long as you shall live?" Gwen snuck a look at her, grinning when she saw her friend's beaming face, completely enraptured by the ceremony. _Or more precisely, enraptured by the prince._

"I, Arthur Pendragon, do pledge life and limb to your service and to the protection of the kingdom and its peoples."

"Now, being of age and heir apparent, from henceforth you shall be Crown Prince of Camelot." Uther placed the circlet onto his son's head, smiling with pride as the room filled with applause.

Arthur turned to acknowledge his guests, eyes seeming to find her all on their own accord. Blue gaze met blue gaze, the two slipping into a world of their own as they shared a smile. His attention was pulled away from the beauty by his father's hand on his shoulder, bringing him back to himself.

"So how does it feel to be servant to the Crown Prince of Camelot?" Gwen asked, voice filled with amusement at the blush that heated Emerlyn's cheeks. Shaking herself, the witch glanced over at her friend and rolled her eyes.

"Washing his royal socks will be even more of a privilege." She replied sarcastically, making Gwen laugh.

"You're proud of him, even though you complain about him constantly."

"I am not. He's an utter prat." Gwen gave another soft laugh, shaking her head at Emerlyn's denial.

"You are. I can see it in your face."

"Those socks are very clean. Of course I'm proud of them." The witch said with a little smile, her eyes filled with humor even as she refused to concede.

Their discussion was abruptly cut short when a large window shattered, a black horse and rider surging into the room. People started screaming and the witch quickly handed the pitcher she'd been holding to Gwen, needing her hands free in case she had to protect them.

"Em, no!" Gwen whispered furiously, terrified Uther would catch her. The witch just gave a little shrug and pushed her way towards the prince, knowing his safety came before all others.

/*/

The chamber had quickly emptied after the rider exited through the broken window, everyone feeling the ominous atmosphere that now permeated the room.

Sir Owain had left to prepare for battle, his comrades departing with him to help. Then Uther had…well _fled_ might be too harsh a term…quickly left, his face contorted in confusion. This left Arthur, Emerlyn, Morgana and Gwen.

Emerlyn watched as Arthur paced, utter rage and fear in his every stride. She had no idea who this mystery knight was, but if Arthur's reaction was any sign, things did not look good for Sir Owain.

"He shouldn't have picked up the gauntlet!" The prince snarled, glaring at the three women, even though his anger wasn't directed towards them.

"So put an end to it." Morgana said, stepping forward. He shook his head, shoulders slumping.

"The challenge's been taken up, the fight cannot be stopped."

"Then fight in his place."

"I can't!"

Emerlyn moved over to Arthur's side, seeing how agitated he was getting. She wasn't sure why Morgana was fighting so hard, but she didn't want the prince risking his life either.

"Why not?" Morgana demanded.

"Owain picked up the gauntlet. Owain is the one who must fight. That's the knight's code. He knew that." He finished quietly, turning away from her.

"But it's a fight to the death." She called out, voice breaking a little. Turning, he met her eyes before looking at his servant, the pain clear in his gaze.

"I know." Emerlyn glanced back at her friends with a sad expression before following the prince back to his chambers.

She quickly moved around the room, getting a fire started as he sipped some wine. Pulling his sleeping clothes from the wardrobe, she moved to help him get out of his armor.

"Does he have a chance?" Her question was quiet and subdued, not sure if she really wanted an honest answer. Arthur breathed out a heavy sigh as he pulled the chainmail over his head.

"I don't know. I've never seen this knight before, so I don't know how well of a fighter he is. I just…don't know." She took the chainmail and laid it out on a table.

"Well, I know you've trained Sir Owain well, so I'm sure he'll be fine."

They shared a look, knowing her words were forced, even if part of what she said was true. But there was just something terrifying about the black knight that left victory uncertain, even unlikely.

"Let's hope so." Emerlyn gave a sad smile and handed him his clothes.

"I'll let you get some rest, sire." Arthur watched as she quickly headed towards the door.

"You looked pretty tonight." Stopping short at his words, she turned to give him a hesitant grin.

"Thank you, sire." Arthur inclined his head and his lips twitched into a small smile.

Feeling a little overwhelmed, Emerlyn gave a small curtsy before leaving, her cheeks once more a rosy red.

/*/

The fight had been an utter failure, despite the blow Emerlyn swore she'd seen Sir Owain deliver. Something was definitely off with this black knight, that she was certain of. And now Sir Pellinor had taken up the challenge and she feared it would end the same, with another Camelot knight slain.

Arthur had been livid as he'd stormed out of the arena, so she'd decided to accompany Gaius instead of following him, knowing he'd only end up yelling at her. When her guardian led her to an underground crypt, the witch almost turned back to be shouted at.

Her and dead bodies just didn't mix well, especially not after all the people who'd suffered from the plague.

"You sure we should be doing this?"

"You're not scared, are you?" Gaius asked in amusement as they started descending the stairs.

"N-No. I love old crypts. I wouldn't be seen dead anywhere else." She joked, trying to calm her squirming stomach. The physician gave her an annoyed look just as the door slammed shut, making her jump.

"Must've been a gust of wind. We should've brought a torch." They looked around the dark staircase, Emerlyn's eyes landing on an unlit torch. She quickly brought flames to it, casting them in its flickering light.

"Uh, handy!" Gaius said with a smile.

"Yes. What are we looking for?" She asked, pulling the torch out of its holder as they continued down the stairs. They entered a chamber that held many entombments, their white plaster reflecting in the light.

"Bring your torch over here." The old man said, pointing to the specified sarcophagus.

"We're breaking into someone's grave. Don't you find this all a little creepy?" She asked as she followed him, chills running up and down her spine. Which only increased when they stopped at a broken sarcophagus.

"We're too late. I think someone's already broken out."

"Okay, I'm done." Emerlyn said, quickly backing away.

Gaius looked down at the broken stone a moment longer before following, not wanting the spooked girl to leave him in the dark.

/*/

"I, Arthur Pendragon, challenge you."

"So be it."

"Single combat. Noon, tomorrow."

Emerlyn felt her heart squeeze tightly and her breakfast threaten to rise. Arthur couldn't have just issued a challenge! He couldn't have! But the gauntlet shinning on the ground proved he had, no matter what she tried to believe otherwise.

As the black knight strode past her, all the girl could think was that Arthur was going to die. No mortal weapon could kill a wraith, which meant not matter how well he fought, Arthur was going to die.

Well, not if she had anything to say about it! It was her duty, her destiny, to protect the prince and she wasn't going to let a dead man set on revenge derail that destiny. She'd just have to find a way to kill him herself.

/*/

Fear coursing through her system, Emerlyn quickly made her way to Arthur's chambers. After she'd failed to burn the knight to a crisp, she was desperate to talk him out of fighting. How was she supposed to see Arthur to the throne if he was killed after only just becoming the Crown Prince?

She rushed into the room, making the prince stop his sword practice to give her an irritated look.

"Emerlyn, you know that conversation we had about knocking."

"You have to pull out."

"And why is that?"

"Because he'll kill you."

"Why does everyone think that?" Arthur demanded, highly insulted. The servant tugged the sword out of his grasp and let it drop to the floor with a clang.

"Arthur, you saw Sir Pellinor deliver several deadly blows! And Sir Owain got one in too, but to no effect! He wasn't hurt at all! You're the Crown Prince. No one wants to see you die over some stupid challenge."

"I'm not a coward." The prince said, giving her a hard look.

"I know that. I've stood there and watched you overcome every fear you've ever faced."

"It's what's required of me." Arthur replied, turning away.

"But you are more than that. You're not merely a warrior; you're a Prince, a future King. You've proved your courage, but you must prove your wisdom." She was begging now, but she didn't care.

"I'm not backing down." The prince muttered.

"Please Arthur, listen to me." He turned to glare at her and was met with a sight he'd rarely seen: Emerlyn with tears in her eyes.

"No one is unbeatable, Emerlyn." Her lips trembled as the tears began sliding down her pale cheeks, fear for his life choking her.

Reaching out, Arthur lightly brushed the tear drops away, making her have to clench her eyes shut to try and stem the flow.

"Have a little faith." Opening her eyes, the witch gave him a look filled with so much fear that it almost had him agreeing not to fight, just to ease her mind.

"I fear no amount of faith will save you this time, Arthur." Emerlyn whispered before fleeing, hating how weak she'd just become.

But unless she could find a way to kill the wraith, then Arthur really was going to die. And that thought was more painful then she'd ever thought it would be.

/*/

"Emerlyn, what are you doing here? Do you know how late it is?" Gwen asked with a yawn as she opened the door, clearly having been readying for bed.

"I've come to ask for a favor."

"Yes?"

"I'm not sure how to ask it." The witch mumbled, knowing what she was asking was monumental for people like them. Poor people, that is.

"Ask, Emerlyn, you know I would grant you anything." Gwen said, motioning for her friend to come inside.

"I've come to ask for a sword. The strongest sword your father's ever made."

"What for?" The dark skinned girl asked, raising a brow.

"To save Arthur." Emerlyn replied honestly, hoping her plan actually worked this time.

"Will he actually be able to kill that knight?"

"I'm hoping I can enchant the sword to kill it. If not…" She trailed off, not wanting to even voice the other possibility. Gwen's eyes widened before she gave a quick nod and hurried over to her father's bed.

"My father's been saving this. He's always said it was the best sword he's ever made." Emerlyn lifted the blade, feeling the balance the way Arthur had shown her.

"It's perfect."

"He'll kill me if he finds I've taken it." Gwen mumbled, chin resting on her folded arms.

"He'll understand. You did it for Arthur." The black haired woman reassured, giving Gwen a thankful smile.

"I knew you were proud of him really." The witch rolled her eyes good naturedly as she wrapped the sword up in its red cloth.

"Thank you, Gwen. I hope this works." The two stood and Emerlyn headed towards the door.

"If anyone can save Arthur, it's you." Sending her an appreciative look, Emerlyn exited the house. Now all she needed was some dragon breathe.

/*/

"I still cannot believe Gaius drugged me!" Arthur exclaimed, making his servant roll her eyes at him as she stoked the fire. The prince had absolutely no idea the lengths she'd had to go to to protect him, and then Uther, from that stupid wraith.

Now Kilgharrah was mad at her, again, and she'd had to ride all the way to the lake of Avalon that morning before doing her chores. She really hated being the one chosen to protect Arthur sometimes.

"Yes, what an outrage, sire." Arthur quirked an eyebrow at her sarcastic tone, but he didn't really mind. To be honest, he was just glad to get back to normal, hoping it would help keep his mind from wondering.

So far it'd been futile, as every time he closed his eye all he saw was Emerlyn's tear streaked face and fear filled eyes. And each and every time, he was left wanting to gather her in his arms and sooth her.

"You wouldn't be so flippant if he'd drugged you." Rising from her crouch, Emerlyn wiped her hands on her pants.

"Hmm, probably not. But I also wouldn't be such a baby about it, either." She grinned cheekily at him.

"You know what, I believe my horse's stall needs a good mucking." Arthur commented, earning another eye roll and a poked out tongue.

"See, you're such a baby. Some Crown Prince."

"I want the stall clean before you turn in tonight." The prince called out as he headed towards the privacy screen, amusement filling his words.

"Prat." Emerlyn muttered before leaving, wondering why she kept saving his life. So far, it hadn't resulted in anything positive for her.

**AN: Click that little button and REVIEW! Please, I would really appreciate it.**


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: Thanks for all the lovely reviews. You guys make my day. I must apologize for the longer wait. I took a few days off to decompress and play video games. I've typed so much since I bought my new computer that I'm already wearing down my keyboard. No lies. My spacebar seems to have taken the brunt of it, but my poor keys are all wearing down. I'll have to by a new one before too long if I keep up this pace, lol. I hope you enjoy and please be nice and respectful and REVIEW! Thanks!**

Guest: Thanks for the awesome review! I'm so happy you like how I'm writing it. In all my stories, the relationship between the characters has always been the main focus, which is why I don't tend to stray too far from canon. I don't tend to focus on the actual story line that much unless I've changed something, which is why I don't always write the episode scene by scene. I hope you like this chapter especially! Thanks again!

Mercury: Thanks so much! I hope you like the chapter and are happy with the advance I made. Let me know what you think!

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Merlin.**

Chapter 8: Returning Home

Arthur and his men were interrupted from practice when Emerlyn came streaking onto the field, headed straight towards him. His knights glanced between the prince and servant before backing away, wanting to give their captain some privacy.

"What's wrong?" The prince questioned once she'd reached him. Her large eyes were glassy with tears and her pretty face pale and pinched in worry.

"M-My village was attacked by this barbarian demanding all their food. My m-mother tried to stop him and he hit her and said he'd be back for the rest. But there isn't enough left for them to survive until next harvest, so they're all going to starve!" She was nearly hysterical by the end, the tears spilling down her cheeks in her frustration.

"Alright, just calm down." Arthur murmured, reaching out to wipe her tears away. She was so beautiful in that moment that he had to force himself not to pull her against him and devour her.

Emerlyn bit her lip as she tried to calm her nerves, wiping at her face in irritation. She hated crying like a girl, but she couldn't get her mother's bruised face out of her mind. All she wanted to do was find that brut and show him just who he was messing with.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to interrupt your training." She mumbled, glancing around at the men who'd started up again so it didn't look like they were eavesdropping.

"It's fine. Now tell me what happened, completely." Arthur said, guiding her off the field by her elbow.

The knights, even while appearing to train, watched the interaction, noticing how close the two were standing. They'd all noticed it at some point, the unspoken bond that existed between master and servant. Only now, it looked like they were closer than ever, especially when Arthur let his fingers stroke her cheek.

"I'll get the King to have an audience with your mother." Arthur said, pushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"Really?" Emerlyn breathed, her stomach settling as she stared up into his serious eyes. His lips twitched into a smirk and he quirked a brow at her.

"Don't believe me?" She shook her head, returning his smirk with a smile.

"Of course I do. Thank you, Arthur." The witch said softly, letting her hand close around his and give it a squeeze. They both tried to ignore the shock that sparked between them at the contact.

"You're welcome. I'll go speak with the King now and send word of the time of the meeting." The prince spoke, sliding back into his 'prince' role and stepping away, breaking the intimacy of the moment.

"Thank you!"

Emerlyn gave a small curtsy before hurrying away, relief and gratitude filling her. If anyone could get the King to hear them out, it was Arthur. She just hoped it was enough to get aid in defending her old home.

/*/

Emerlyn made her way out to the battlements, knowing Arthur would be there. She knew he'd tried and was thankful, but now there was little he could do to help. Heart heavy with dread and sorrow, she came to stand next to him, looking down at the city of Camelot.

"I'm sorry. If it were up to me, we'd be on our way there now." Arthur said, glaring out at the bustling city. He hated that his father had refused to aid Ealdor; to aid Emerlyn. He didn't even want to think about how disappointed she must be in him.

"Oh, you tried. And thank you for getting an audience with the king. I know he wouldn't have normally done so." She gave him a smile, leaning over to bump their shoulders.

"I wish Camelot was able to help people regardless of how far away they lived."

"Maybe it will once you're King. I'm going back to Ealdor." Emerlyn murmured, turning to look at him. He looked over at her and she saw a flash of pain before he turned away and gave a nod.

"Of course."

"It's been an honor serving you." He looked back at her, eyes questioning.

"You'll be coming back?" Emerlyn's heart squeezed at his question, torn between saying yes or no.

"Well, she is my mother. I have got to look after her before anyone else, you understand?"

"I'd do exactly the same." She tugged on his elbow until he relaxed his arms and they uncrossed so she could hold his large hand.

"We'll see each other again, Arthur. That I can promise you." She smiled up at him, but her words didn't seem to ease his mind.

"Well, you've been terrible, really. I mean it, the worst servant I've ever had." They shared an amused look, knowing he didn't mean it.

"Thank you, sire." The girl smiled before stepping back, ready to turn away and had back to pack.

But she was stopped short when her hand was tugged, forcing her to turn back to Arthur. Before she could voice her questions, the prince pulled her to him and lowered his mouth to hers.

Lights exploded behind her eyes and she couldn't stop the breathy moan that escaped her. Sliding her arms around his neck, she leaned up on her tiptoes to deepen the kiss, their tongues meeting in a tentative caress.

She wasn't sure how long they stood there indulging in the kiss they'd both been dreaming about. All the witch could focus on was the tingling coursing from her lips down to her toes, leaving her head in a wonderful fog she never wanted cleared. But, alas, all things must end.

Pulling away, the two stared at each other for a few more moments before Emerlyn gave him another light kiss before pulling away. She gave a little sad smile, knowing no words could adequately express how she was feeling.

Arthur watched her depart, lips still buzzing from the kiss. Emerlyn wasn't the first girl he'd ever kissed, but she definitely swept all the others away. He cursed himself for waiting so long to indulge in his wants. Now he may never see the woman again and Arthur was not at all okay with that.

/*/

Emerlyn still couldn't believe Gwen and Morgana were riding behind her, ready to help save her village. She shuddered to think what Uther would do once he found out his ward had left the kingdom. Never the less, she was thankful to have such wonderful friends who were willing to help her.

"Let's set up camp. It's a few hours yet to the village and it'll be dark soon." The witch called out and dismounted, leading her mare towards a small clearing, the others following behind her.

Once they'd started setting up, Emerlyn noticed an extra bag on her horse. Face scrunching up in confusion, she pulled it off the saddle, giving a surprised noise when it pulled her arms down to the ground from its weight. Curiosity piqued, she untied the bag and pulled it open.

"Oh!" Hunith glanced over at her daughter's exclamation, wondering what had surprised her so.

Emerlyn pulled out three bags of grain and a small chainmail shirt, obviously meant for a woman.

"What is it?" Gwen asked, stepping over to peer down at the pile. The witch looked up with a bright smile.

"It's some grain and armor."

"Who in the world put that there?" Hunith questioned. The three young women shared a look before Emerlyn started putting the grain back in the sack.

"Arthur." Morgana supplied with a smile. She might despise that the king had refused aid, but at least Arthur had tried to help in some way.

"The prince? Why?" Emerlyn blushed, remembering the passionate kiss they'd shared that morning. Gwen and Morgana both snickered at her red face and Hunith looked on, confused.

"Yes, Emerlyn, why would Arthur do such a thing?" Morgana asked between her giggles, making the other raven haired beauty blush harder.

"Because he's thoughtful?" Her reply was more of a question, hating how red she must be. When her eyes met her mother's, she saw a knowing smile and an amused gaze.

"Oh, well that was very kind of him." Completely mortified, the witch quickly got to her feet.

"We need fire wood."

The three women watched her scurry away, braid swinging behind her. They shared a humorous look before they got back to work, wanting their camp to be ready before the sun set.

/*/

Emerlyn stared up at the night sky that peeked through the tree tops, unable to sleep. Her mind would simply not rest, continuously going back to her goodbye with Arthur and the fact that she didn't know when she'd see him again. If she'd see him again.

The man who'd attacked Ealdor would undoubtedly kill most of the villagers when he returned if they put up a fight and she knew she'd be in the thick of it. The big conflict in her mind was if she was really willing to throw her destiny away for people who'd been uneasy around her, even fearful at times?

But it was also her mother, the woman who'd cared for and nurtured her in sickness and health. Who'd searched Balinor out restlessly when Emerlyn had first shown signs of magic, knowing she would need a more knowledgeable source to understand her gifts.

No matter how the others might have treated her, Ealdor was still her mother's home and she would protect it and her with her very life. She just prayed it didn't actually come to that, as there was still so much she was meant to do with Arthur and Albion.

The witch's attention was grabbed by what sounded like hooves headed in their direction. She scrambled to her feet and fumbled the sword out of her blanket, hoping it wasn't a bandit group, as she doubted she'd be able to protect them without magic for too long. She knew she was miserable with the weapon and didn't want to stack their bets on her.

Emerlyn quietly made her way into the surrounding trees, peering around the fog laced forest for any threat. She jumped at every sound, eyes wide as she held the sword in front of her body and kept swinging around, trying to find the source of the noise.

She stiffened when something pressed into her back, heart speeding up as adrenaline surged through her.

"I'd ask you for money, but I know you don't have any."

"Arthur!" She exclaimed, twirling around to face him. Thankfully the prince had quick reflexes and ducked her swinging sword. Oh she was so happy to see him!

"Put the sword down, Emerlyn. You look ridiculous." Arthur said, glad he had avoided getting his head chopped off. The girl gave a sheepish smile.

"Well, I'd be better with it if you actually trained me instead of just using me for target practice." The prince grabbed the weapon from her, not wanting to leave anything to chance.

"If I trained you, you'd be an even larger danger to others and yourself." He started back to the camp, his servant falling into step next to him. He was pleased that she couldn't seem to stop the happy grin from stretching her lips.

They made it back to the camp and seated themselves next to the fire, not wanting to disturb the three sleeping women. And if they sat closer than necessary, with their sides brushing, no one was the wiser.

"How much further is it?" He questioned as he pushed some sticks around in the fire.

"Uh, maybe a few hours."

"How many men does Kanen have?" Emerlyn's white teeth tugged at her bottom lip, drawing his attention.

"Uh, I'm not sure. I think from what my mother's said, maybe as many as 40." Arthur sighed, knowing the odds were definitely against them.

"We should get some rest. It's going to be a long day tomorrow." Emerlyn turned to him, so their knees knocked together.

"Thank you, Arthur. I know you didn't have to come. And you already helped with the grain and armor, so it means a lot that you're here." Her words were whispered, eyes locked on his, hoping he understood just how grateful she was.

"I couldn't let you face Kanen on your own. You'd be dead in the first five minutes." Arthur replied, deflecting her gratitude with the sarcastic words. She just smiled wider and leaned forward to press a light kiss to his lips before standing.

"We should get some sleep."

The prince watched as she settled back down next to her mother, her lips never losing their smile. He really hoped they made it through this alive so he could see that smile again and again.

/*/

They watched as Kanen and his last man rode away, his threats still ringing in the air. Arthur glanced around, making sure the girls were safe and unharmed, eyes landing on Emerlyn and the sword still clutched in her hand. Thank the heavens she hadn't cut off her own hand.

"You're still up to the same old magic tricks again?" Emerlyn turned to spot William making his way towards her.

"I thought I told you we didn't want your kind around here." They shared a smile.

"I missed you too, Will." Emerlyn giggled when he pulled her into a tight hug, giving a little twirl that made her laugh louder.

"It's good to see you again." She said once he set her back on her feet and stepped back.

"How've you been? I heard you're skiving for some Prince?" Will asked, face showing how much he couldn't believe such a rumor.

"No, I wouldn't say I'm his skivvy." She tried to deny, voice filling with embarrassment.

"Emerlyn?" She turned to see Arthur's irritated face, evidently not liking how close she and William were standing.

"Gather the villagers; I need to talk to them." The prince commanded, turning back to speak with Hunith and Matthew.

"Yeah, in a minutes. Just talking…" She pointed to William, who had a brow arched as he watched the interaction.

"Now, Emerlyn. There isn't much time." He called out, glad to get her away from the other man.

"Yes, sire." The witch sighed and rolled her eyes at Will before jogging to catch up with her master. Will shook his head, not believing his friend had actually been reduced to being a prince's servant.

/*/

"He knows what he's doing. You've got to trust him." Emerlyn said as she followed Will. Her best friend gave her an unconvinced look as he continued to straighten up his home, which Kanen's men had ransacked.

"Look. When I first met Arthur, I was exactly like you. I hated him. I thought he was pompous and arrogant. A true pratty prince."

"Well, nothing's changed there then." Will retorted as he put his father's armor back to rights. Emerlyn rolled her eyes at his sullen behavior.

"But in time I came to respect him for what he stands for, what he does."

"Yeah I know what he stands for. Princes, kings, all men like him."

"You're wrong, Will. A few months ago Arthur risked his life to save mine. He went behind the king's back to find an antidote to poison I'd drank, just to save me. A mere servant." Will arched a brow at her, not having expected that.

"You're saying that one good deed is enough to change him? Wake up, Emerlyn."

"Don't bring what happened to your father into this." She murmured, making her friend turn to glare at her.

"I'm not! Why are you defending him so much? You're just his servant. And no matter if he saved your life or not, you'll always be just his servant."

"He's also my friend." She retorted hotly, her agitation at him growing. Why had he always been so mule headed?

"Friends don't lord over one another."

"He doesn't lord, Will. He's here to help protect the villagers. Why can't you understand that?"

"Wait until the fighting starts and see who he sends in to die first. I guarantee you, it won't be him." She threw her hands up in the air in frustration.

"I trust Arthur with my life."

"Is that so? So he knows your secret then? Face it, Emerlyn. You're living a lie, just like you were here. You're Arthur's servant, nothing more. Otherwise you'd tell him the truth." William said seriously, hating how dismayed she seemed by the words. But she needed to get her head out of the clouds and realize that the prince was no friend to anyone but himself and his kind.

/*/

"Have you always slept on the floor?" Arthur's voice sounded in the dark. Emerlyn stared up at the dark ceiling, Will's words still ringing in her ears.

"Yeah. The bed I've got in Camelot's luxury by comparison."

"It must've been hard." He hated to think about her having to sleep on the ground day in and out. How much harder her life had been then he'd ever imagined.

"Mmm, like a rock." Her reply made him chuckle.

"I didn't mean just the ground. I meant, for you it must've been difficult."

"Hmm. Not really. I didn't know any different. Life's simpler out here. You eat what you grow and everyone pitches in together. As long as you've food on the table and a roof over your head, you're happy." She didn't mention how she'd tried to make their lives a little easier with magic, as she doubted that'd go over well.

"Sounds nice." Emerlyn smiled at his response, knowing him too well.

"You'd hate it."

"No doubt. Why'd you leave?"

Sighing, she sat up to look down at him. Arthur was lying with his arms behind his head, looking as uncomfortable as she'd ever seen him. Poor princely behind wasn't accustomed to such hard living.

"Things just changed. I changed, didn't fit in anymore. I wanted to find somewhere that I did."

"Have any luck?" He quirked a brow, eyes moving from the ceiling to lock onto her face.

"I'm not sure yet." She shrugged, giving a lopsided smile.

"I think Camelot suits you." Meaning he wanted her to return. Grinning at his hidden words, Emerlyn shuffled around until she was lying face to face with him.

"So far." Arthur grinned at her and pulled his blanket up over his shoulder, body curving towards hers.

"We'll start training the men tomorrow. It's going to be a long day."

"Yes, but you're helping them survive, so I doubt anyone will complain." Emerlyn murmured, leaning over to blow the candle out before snuggling back against his warmth. If she did return to Camelot, she knew this wouldn't be possible, so she wanted to cherish every moment they had together.

"I just hope it's enough." Arthur whispered, wrapping an arm around her waist. She nuzzled her head into his chest, hoping the same thing.

/*/

"He must care for you a great deal." Hunith voiced once her and her daughter were alone.

"He'd do the same for any village. That's just the way he is." Emerlyn replied, pulling on her brown jacket.

"It's more than that. He's here for you."

"I'm just his servant." Emerlyn muttered, hating Will for reminding her of the fact.

"Give him more credit than that, Emerlyn. I've seen the way he looks at you, and it has nothing to do with your station. He likes you." The witch pushed the thought of waking up next to him out of her head, knowing it would lead to nothing good.

"That's because he doesn't know me. If he did, I'd probably be dead by now." It hurt to say, hurt to voice her biggest fear.

"You don't really believe that do you? I saw you two this morning, Emerlyn. I doubt he'd sentence you to death for something you cannot help. Not with the way he feels about you." Hunith responded.

"I don't know. But I need to go gather some wood." Hunith watched her only child leave, shoulders slumped in dejection. Surely a man who cared so deeply for a woman would not kill her just for possessing magic?

/*/

She could not believe Will was seriously going to desert them when they needed him most. His words stung like wasps to her heart, hating how guilty he could make her feel for simply wanting to keep her secret. To keep Arthur from hating her.

But he was right, no matter how much that terrified her. If it came to it, she'd expose herself to save her village, to save her mother. What was the point of being gifted with such powers if she didn't use them to help her friends and family? She could only pray that Arthur understood.

Spotting him sitting outside her house, sharpening his sword, she made her way over. Silently sitting down next to him, she tried to think up something to say to raise his spirits. A leader who saw only failure was no good to them.

"William's father was killed fighting for King Cenred. So he doesn't trust anyone of nobility."

"Do you think the villagers believed him?"

"No. He's always been a trouble maker. So everyone usually just ignores him."

"And if he's right?" Turning to better see him, Emerlyn hated how disheartened he looked.

"He isn't." Arthur scoffed.

"I'm treating these men like soldiers and they're not. You've seen them fight. They haven't got a clue. You need to tell them all to leave the village before Kanen returns."

"No, we're going to stay, we're going to fight and we're going to win." Emerlyn retorted.

"Emerlyn, it can't be done. The odds are too great." Annoyed, she forced him to face her by placing her hands on his cheeks until he was looking her in the eye.

"It can. We're going to make Kanen rue the day he ever came to this village. All you need to do is get the men ready for battle and the rest will take care of itself."

"How?" The prince demanded, hands reaching up to cover hers.

"You've just got to believe in them. Because if you don't, they'll sense it. And the battle will be lost before it's even begun." They seemed locked in their own world, just staring at each other until Arthur finally gave a nod.

When she broke out into a bright smile, he couldn't resist lowering his mouth to hers. Emerlyn sighed against his lips as she relaxed against him, falling into the kiss as if it was their first all over again. And knowing it very well may be their last, she wanted to make it last for as long as possible.

/*/

Standing in front of the pyre, Emerlyn felt like she'd never stop crying. Will had been her best friend, her first kiss, first love. And now he was gone forever.

They'd never play another prank on old man Simon or get caught stealing fruit from Mrs. Turk's garden. They'd never do anything ever again because he'd saved Arthur's life by taking a crossbow bolt to the chest.

"I'm sorry. I know he was a close friend." Arthur said softly.

"He still is." She replied, staring at the flickering flames as they consumed the body.

"You knew he was a sorcerer, didn't you? That's what you were going to tell me." The prince assumed. Knowing he'd died protecting her secret, Emerlyn had to bite back the denial that wanted to spring from her tongue.

"Yes, it was. We had no secrets." Arthur glanced at her before looking back at the fire.

"You know how dangerous magic is. You shouldn't have kept this form me, Emerlyn." The witch turned to give him a watery glare.

"You don't know anything about Will or magic, Arthur. He'd never hurt anyone unless it was for self-defense. Besides, this is Cenred's kingdom and your judgmental opinion doesn't matter here." She bit out angrily before turning away from him. The prince was shocked at her words, but figured she was just hurting, so he let it go and backed away.

"You'd better be going." Hunith spoke up, rubbing her arm soothingly. Emerlyn wiped at her face, a headache starting behind her eyes.

"I don't have to go."

"Yes, you do." She sighed, hating her stupid destiny.

"If anything were to happen to you…"

"I know where to find you. You have to go, Emerlyn. You belong at Arthur's side, no matter how hard headed he can be. I've seen how much he needs you, how much you need him. You're like two sides to the same coin." Her words made the girl give a little chuckle.

"I've heard someone say that about us before. I'm gonna miss you." The two women embraced.

"I'm going to miss you, too. When you left, you were just a girl. Now look at you. I'm so proud of you."

The two pulled away, glancing back at the fire before heading back to the village square. She felt a little bad for snapping at Arthur, but not enough to apologize. Her words had been true, after all.

"Ready to go?" Gwen asked, standing next to her packed horse. She felt awful for her friend and wished there was something she could do to help. But some wounds could only heal through time.

"Yes." Arthur took her hand, helping her up onto her horse. They shared a look of understanding before he mounted his own stallion.

"Be safe." Hunith called out, receiving waves of goodbye before the four departed, wanting to get some distance before dark.

It was hard watching her child leave once more, but Hunith knew Emerlyn was meant for so much more than a simple village life. She just hoped she stayed safe and that they'd see each other again.

**AN: So how'd you like the chapter? Please review and let me know!**


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: Okay guys I hope you like this chapter and I hope you'll take the time to review. **

Guest: I'm so happy you liked the chapter and how I portrayed Emerlyn's and Arthur's relationship. The Uther problem I don't see becoming an issue until a lot later, as he doesn't see the two of them together as often as the knights do. And when they're in front of the King, flirting and whatnot would be the last thing on their minds, lol. Thanks so much for your awesome review and I hope I continue to write as well as you say I do.

Mercury: A lot sooner than you'd think, actually. So don't worry about having to wait five seasons, lol.

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Merlin.**

Chapter 9: Innocence Slain

Emerlyn silently groaned as she followed Arthur and his men through the forest, hating that she was once more forced into a hunting trip. At least the prince saw the wisdom in bringing two knights with them, as his servant liked to chase off his targets when they were alone.

And being alone, together, was something they'd both been avoiding since they'd returned from Ealdor. Emerlyn was still irked by Arthur's words and was trying to come to terms with William's death. For his part, Arthur wasn't sure how to act around her now that they were back in Camelot and there wasn't the risk of her leaving or dying again to spur him into action.

Thus, the two knights were also acting as chaperons even if they didn't know that. Although they could have guessed, as all the men had noticed the new closeness, and yet distance, between the two upon their arrival back. But the men kept any such thoughts to themselves, not wanting to make the situation anymore awkward or tense then it already was.

Arthur drew to a stop next to some rocks when the sound of snapping twigs reached them. The witch really hoped it wasn't anything too dangerous or cute as the men continued forward before stopping again. The two knights were suddenly gone, bringing her attention back to the present.

"Emerlyn?" She shuffled forward at his quiet call and head jerk, weighed down by two heavy bags.

"What is it?"

"I don't know. We'll surround it. I want you to go in there and flush it out."

"You want _me_ to go in _there_? Have you lost your mind? You just said you didn't know what it was. It could be dangerous. Why don't _you_ go flush it out?" Emerlyn glared at him, annoyed he'd make her help them kill the animal. And with her luck, it'd turn out to be something like the Griffin and would skewer her before the men arrived.

"Don't be such a girl." The prince rolled his eyes at her, having to fight down the urge to kiss the irritation right out of her. He still hadn't worked out exactly how he felt for his servant, or how deeply, so kissing was definitely out of the question.

"I am a girl!" She huffed, making him smirk.

"Here, if you're so scared." Arthur reached down and pulled a small dagger from his boot, handing it to her. The witch looked down at the weapon before meeting his expectant gaze and sighing.

"Fine." The man watched as she shuffled away, dagger gripped tightly in her hand. It was really too easy to get to her sometimes.

Following the sound, Emerlyn slowly made her way towards the target, weapon at the ready. The sight that greeted her, however, had suddenly numb fingers dropping the knife in surprise. It was not a beast at all, but a unicorn. A unicorn!

Completely awestruck by its beauty and the sense of connection she felt, Emerlyn slowly made her way towards it. The animal was pure white with a pearl white horn that seemed to glisten in the light. She'd never seen anything as breathtaking before.

Hearing the sounds of the men moving in, the witch felt her heart plummet at the thought of the creature's death. Something as mystical and innocent as a unicorn should **never** be slain, that she was certain of down to her very bones.

"Go! Go! Please go. They're gonna kill you. Please go!" She tried to shoo the animal, but it was either stubborn or didn't understand, as it didn't move an inch. Glancing around frantically, her eyes landed on Arthur readying his crossbow.

"Arthur, no!" She yelled, but it was already too late. The bolt came whizzing down, implanting itself in the creature's side.

"Oh no!" Emerlyn surged forward, trying to catch the whining unicorn as it fell to the ground.

Tears instantly springing to her eyes, she began stroking its face, trying to sooth it. The girl could literally feel the life force escaping from the magical animal and she couldn't stop the tears.

"I'm so sorry. Sorry." She whispered as it struggled to breath, white coat stained red. She clenched her eyes in anger when Arthur's chuckling form came bounding into sight.

"A unicorn!" The prince said in excitement when he reached her. The servant stared up at him, startling him by the utter anguish on her face.

"What have you done?"

"Don't be such a girl, Emerlyn." Arthur rolled his eyes, not letting her spoil the conquest for him. So his gut clenched at the sight of her tears as she stroked the beast's face; that didn't mean he'd done anything wrong. This was sure to make his father proud of him.

Emerlyn ignored the prince and knights, not wanting to lose her temper and say something that'd get her put in the stocks. When she glanced back up, the girl was startled to see a robed man standing behind Arthur.

"What are you looking at?" Her master asked, glancing behind him at her surprised expression. Of course, there wasn't anything there.

"I just thought I saw someone." She mumbled, not wanting to make a fool of herself.

"Alright men, let's get this back to Camelot and that horn to my father." The knights moved forward, making Emerlyn scramble to her feet.

"The horn?"

"Yes, Emerlyn, the horn." Arthur said in annoyance, signaling for his men to continue. When one of them started cutting into the unicorn's forehead, she thought she'd be sick.

"Arthur! You can't!" The prince ignored her and Emerlyn had to turn away, utterly sickened. Completely ashamed of Arthur and sorrowful for the unicorn, she was suddenly moving, fleeing back to the city.

"Emerlyn!" Arthur was shocked when she started running, bags forgotten on the ground. He moved to follow, but the girl was already gone, more agile then he'd ever seen her.

"Girls." Arthur muttered and rolled his eyes.

/*/

"Emerlyn, what in heavens—" Morgana trailed off when she saw the girl, face streaked with tears. Her and Gwen had been returning from a walk when they'd run into, almost literally, the other servant.

"S-Sorry." Emerlyn gasped, sides screaming from her long run. She just had to get away from Arthur and the knights, away from the poor unicorn that was not only slain, but being mutilated.

"Em, what's wrong?" Gwen gripped her hands, face showing how worried she was. Since their trip, the three women had been closer than ever and it was alarming to see the normally strong woman so distressed.

"It's nothing. I'm just being a girl." The last part was said bitterly.

"You are a girl." Morgana's words made the witch crack a smile as she scrubbed at her face.

"Arthur just…killed a unicorn. It was horrible."

"A unicorn? I didn't even know they really existed." Morgana said, awed.

"Yeah well, now there's one less in the world. And the prat's actually cutting its horn off!" The lady and maidservant shared a look, a little alarmed at how passionately upset Emerlyn was.

"I'm sure he wishes to present the horn to the king, to put it on display."

"If it's just going to sit there, then there's absolutely no reason to cut it off! Or to kill the poor creature! Excuse me."

Emerlyn rushed away, not wanting to be there when the prince arrive. The two women watched her escape, both confused at just how affected she seemed to be by the unicorn's passing.

/*/

Hating that Arthur had made her hold the pillow the unicorn horn rested on when he presented it to Uther, Emerlyn rushed through the rest of her chores, wanting to be away from him as quickly as possible. She wasn't certain exactly why she was so distressed by the kill, but every time she even thought about it, her lunch threatened to come back up.

Thankfully, Arthur left her alone for the most part, leaving her to her work. It might have been from her earlier emotional scene or a nagging feeling of guilt, but the prince just didn't want to make her anymore upset then she already was.

This lack of interference meant Emerlyn got to go home after serving him dinner, hours earlier than normal. Using the free hours to her advantage, Emerlyn did her laundry and mended a tunic before falling into an emotionally exhausted slumber.

/*/

She knew she was being sullen, but Emerlyn just couldn't seem to force herself to be in a good mood. Every time she closed her eyes, all she saw was the beautiful unicorn being cruelly killed just for the prestige of its slaughter. There was no sense to it and she couldn't find it within herself to just forget.

"Emerlyn, have you heard a word I've said?" The witch looked over at her master, being jerked back to reality by his irritated question.

"You were prattling on, as usual, sire." She replied, her words lacking their usual snark. Arthur rolled his eyes, wondering again why his father had ever made her his servant. Or why he seemed so drawn to her in the first place.

"You've got a face like a wounded doe ever since we got back from that hunting trip. Don't tell me you're still upset about the unicorn." The prince popped a grape into his mouth and stood, moving around his bed to find his boots.

"That's because I don't think you should have killed it." She said, eyes shifting back to the window.

"Oh, really? And why is that?"

"It was doing harm to no one. And killing it served no purpose; its death has only resulted in an overly prideful prince." Arthur turned to face her, not believe she'd actually just said that.

"You'd do well to watch your tongue, Emerlyn."

"Or what? You'll have me thrown in the stocks? Why don't I just tell the king about our little trysts and have him do it for you?" She asked angrily, her words coming out harsh and bitter. She wasn't really sure where all this pent up hostility was coming from.

"Are you this mad about a unicorn? It was an animal and we were hunting. That's what you do!" Arthur threw his hands up in frustration.

"If you're a barbarian! Only someone heartless could take pleasure from killing something so beautiful." They were practically yelling at each other.

"Seriously? Is it really the unicorn you're upset about or is it something else?" Emerlyn crossed her arms over her chest and glared out the window.

"Of course it's about the unicorn! Whatever else would I be angered about?" The prince's retort was cut short when there was a knock before the door swung open.

"My lord, the King requests your services as a matter of urgency." A guard said. The prince sighed and pulled on his boots, glaring at the small droppings he saw.

"My room has been infested and I want you to find that rat!" It was clear that they both were still upset about their interrupted conversation, but he had a kingdom to serve and couldn't leave his father waiting.

Emerlyn released a deep breath once Arthur was gone, mortified at her behavior. She wasn't certain exactly what had gotten into her or why she'd become so angry. All she did know was that she was apparently upset with Arthur for more than just the unicorn.

/*/

The servant had just returned to store the prince's clean laundry when he came barging in, face dark and twisted in confusion. He didn't even spare her a glance before he went to his writing table.

"Is everything alright?" Emerlyn asked, having cooled down since that morning.

"No, all the crops have died over night." Arthur replied shortly, sitting to begin working out a rationing plan.

"What?" She asked in bewilderment, eyes wide. Arthur spared her a glance before refocusing, knowing he'd not believe it if he hadn't just been in the dead field.

"All of the crops. Throughout the entire kingdom, just dead. When you're done, go see if Gaius has any ideas."

"Of course, sire." She gave a little curtsy before finishing up, wanting to see the physician as soon as possible. What in the world could have killed the kingdom's food supply in one night?

/*/

Emerlyn had just picked up her and Gaius's rations when she saw Gwen by the water pump. Making her way over to her friend, the two women shared a strained smile.

"Emerlyn, is it true what they're saying about the crops? They're all dead?" The witch sighed and gave a weary nod.

"I'm afraid so. We may have to start tightening our belts. Although, some people could do with it, truth be told." She tried to lighten the mood.

"Is it…_magic_?" Gwen whispered the word, conscious that they were not alone. Emerlyn bit her lips and shrugged, not sure of anything.

"Gaius hasn't come up with a cause yet. Hopefully it's a problem in the soil that we can fix. I better get back, see if there's anything I can do."

"I'm sure you and Arthur will think of something. You always do." They smiled at each other before the witch started back towards the citadel. She'd only taken a couple steps when Gwen's calls brought her back.

"Emerlyn!" Gwen said frantically, not believing her eyes.

"What's—" The girl trailed off in shock, spying the sand that was pumping where there should have been water.

"How is this possible?" The dark-skinned servant murmured, eyes darting over to her friend.

"It…it must be the work of magic. There's no other explanation." Emerlyn replied quietly before taking off for the castle, needing to relay the news to Arthur and Gaius.

/*/

Well trying to turn the sand back into water had been an utter failure. She hadn't even gotten a single drop of liquid and had used up most of her energy trying. She'd decided to go elsewhere for answers, hoping the dragon would be able to help them.

"Emerlyn, you do realize there's a curfew?" She was stopped by Arthur's voice. Turning, she spied him walking towards her, princely swagger in full effect.

"Yeah. I was…in your chambers, hunting for the rat." The two seemed to silently agree not to speak of their fight, not wanting to have it reignited.

"Did you find it?"

"No." Arthur came to stand before her, smirking.

"So you have been outwitted by a rat?"

"There's a lot of hiding places in your room. Plus, I've been a little distracted." The prince rolled his eyes at her, trying to ignore the way her face looked in the torch light. Or how some of her hair had escaped her braid, the strands curling around her face.

"Go home, Emerlyn. It would be embarrassing to have to lock up my own servant for breaking the curfew." Arthur said, looking away from her when movement caught his eye.

"What was that?"

"What?" She looked at where his gaze was trained, not seeing anything.

And then they were running, trying to follow a robed figure. Of course, they didn't catch him until he wanted to be found. And she just knew killing the unicorn would come back to haunt them.

/*/

"You believe what this Anhora said about the curse to be true?" Gaius questioned as he got their meal ready.

"You said there's a legend that misfortune comes to anyone who slays a unicorn. It makes sense. I felt...I _felt_ the unicorn's death, Gaius, in my very soul. I can believe there'd be a curse for killing one of them." Emerlyn responded as her guardian sat down, handing her a mostly empty bowl.

"Not much for breakfast, I'm afraid. We're down to our last few scraps of food."

"Where did you get the water for the tea?"

"Fortunately for both of us, you forgot to empty your bath yesterday."

"You're making tea from my bath water?" The girl asked, stomach clenching at the thought.

"It's not so bad. I boiled the water, so besides tasting a little soapy, it's fine. Besides, we need any water we can get." Gaius said, giving a little amused smirk. Emerlyn made a disgusted face but took a drink anyway, knowing how precious it truly was.

"What does Arthur think about the curse?"

"He doesn't believe it's his fault. He's convinced Anhora is responsible for it." She sighed, head beginning to throb.

"If you do not wish to drink bath water, you better make sure Arthur sees sense." The physician implored.

"You say that as if it's so easy. Arthur is stubborn and proud; he won't listen to me." The witch grumbled, poking at her 'breakfast'.

"Well, make him listen." The two exchanged a look, both knowing how difficult the task truly was. Arthur was a Pendragon, and they did not take blame or wrongdoing well.

/*/

"That rat! It's eaten through my boot. Look at it." Arthur shoved the shoe in Emerlyn's face, his irritation written across his face. The witch pushed his boot out of her face and moved to put his laundry away.

"I guess the rat must be as hungry as the rest of us. Can't really blame it, now can you?" She quirked a brow over her shoulder.

"You think this is funny?" She shrugged and turned back to the wardrobe.

"Moderately." Arthur rolled his eyes at his servant's back and tossed the boot at her feet.

"Get it mended and find that rat." The girl closed the bureau door and picked up the boot. She went over to his bed to grab the other one, figuring they could both do with a good mend.

"Not that a mere rat isn't important, but have you thought anymore about what Anhora said last night?" Arthur sat his sword down on the table and went to grab another pair of boots.

"Ah, well, he may have escaped last night but at least we now know who we're looking for. I've told my father that I'll find this Anhora and put an end to it." Emerlyn frowned as she went to place the shoes by the door next to the basket of clothes to be laundered.

"And what if he was telling the truth about the curse?" Arthur gave her a wounded, yet angered, look as he pulled on his shoes.

"You think I'm responsible for bringing suffering upon my own people?" The witch sighed and faced him, crossing her arms.

"Of course I don't think you'd ever intentionally do such a thing. I know how much you love your people and this kingdom, Arthur. I've seen you put your very life on the line time after time for Camelot."

"Good." The prince said, her words easing a little of the guilt he'd been feeling since the night before.

"But, I think killing something as pure and innocent, as mystical, as a unicorn comes with consequences, Arthur. And…when you killed it, I saw Anhora in the forest. That's what I was looking at, but then he was gone."

"Why didn't you say anything?" He demanded.

"He was gone by the time you turned to look. Would you have believed me if I said there was a man and then he just disappeared?" At her skeptical look, Arthur had to concede that he would have dismissed her.

"That doesn't actually prove anything."

"Doesn't the fact that he showed up right after the unicorn died, in the middle of the forest, make you believe he's telling the truth?"

"'Cause he was skulking about in the forest? It makes me trust him even less." He retorted.

"Why would Anhora bother coming to Camelot only to lie to you? That doesn't make any sense!" She knew she was getting loud, but she was also getting extremely frustrated. How was she supposed to end this famine when Arthur was being pigheaded?

"We had him cornered. He was trying to talk his way out of it by blaming me." The prince concluded as he finished putting his boots on.

"That's stupid! Arthur, he can disappear into thin air. I don't think he feared being arrested, since a cell couldn't hold him."

"My father has warned me about sorcerers like him. They will not rest until our kingdom is destroyed." Arthur bit out, standing to glare down at her.

"You don't even know him. If he wanted to see Camelot destroyed, why not just kill you and the king, like everyone else? He could have easily appeared behind you with a dagger and ended you last night, but he didn't!"

"You need to watch your words, Emerlyn. First you hide your friend and now this. One would think you sympathize with the very people who want to destroy Camelot." Emerlyn glared at him, furious he was being such a git.

"If not believing every person with magic is evil, especially when they've not done anything to warrant such a stigma, then I guess I am a sympathizer. How you can condemn all people for the actions of a few is unfathomable to me."

"If you wish to keep your head, you should not utter another word." Arthur ground out, not believing his servant was actually saying any of this.

"Then send me to the block! You, Arthur Pendragon, are just like your father. Too prideful and prejudice to see reason when it's staring you in the face. You're going to run this kingdom into the ground!" Emerlyn yelled, the anger over the endless line of executions of her people seeping into her words.

"Emerlyn!" Arthur shouted, but the witch just turned and left, not wanting to be around him a moment longer.

Arthur glared at the open door, astonished that had just happened. He felt his ire rise at her words, enraged that she'd think he'd ruin his own kingdom.

"Is everything alright, sire?" A guard asked, head poking in around the door. Arthur straightened up and grabbed his coat and sword.

"Yes. Send for Sir Leon and tell him to meet me in the grain room."

"Yes, sire." The guard gave a small bow before leaving.

The prince strapped the sword belt on before shrugging into his jacket, replaying the scene in his head. Once he took care of Anhora, he was going to have a serious discussion with Emerlyn about her misguided beliefs. He gave her the benefit of having not grown up in Camelot as the reason for her ignorance.

Because if she actually knew just what sorcerers were capable of, then there was surely no way she'd sympathize with them. Because if she did…well, that wouldn't end well for her.

/*/

"What did you do?" Arthur looked up from his fourth goblet of water as Emerlyn burst in, a wide smile on her lips.

"What are you talking about? And don't think I've forgotten about your episode of insanity yesterday."

"Oh, never mind that, Arthur! What did you do last night to get the water back?" She questioned, willing to overlook his previous behavior since he'd obviously passed one of Anhora's tests.

"Nothing, you buffoon." He gave her a look that said he thought she was mental.

"C'mon, you had to have done something!" The witch continued, pouring him another cup and giving herself one too.

"I let a looter go off with some grain. It wasn't that exciting, Emerlyn." Arthur rolled his eyes, wondering how he could be attracted to such an idiot. Well, she _was_ a beautiful idiot.

"You let a thief go without penalty? What'd he say?"

"Why does it matter?" The prince sighed in exacerbation.

"Arthur, what'd he say?" Emerlyn demanded, hand going to her hip in annoyance. And even though he was still irked about their argument, he couldn't help but notice how enticing she was when aggravated.

"I don't know. Something about me being merciful and kind and it bringing a reward." He shrugged, not seeing the correlation.

"That's it, then! The man must have been one of your tests from Anhora. He said Camelot's fate rested on whether you passed or not. So, clearly, the water returning was your reward!" She explained in excitement, her eyes shining.

"The villager was just being grateful, and so he should be."

"No, I think he was your first test and this is your reward. I know you don't have to listen to me—"

"Glad we agree on something." Arthur retorted, earning an annoyed look from the servant.

"If you're tested again, you have a chance to end your people's suffering. I know you want that more than anything." Emerlyn leaned over the table, distracting the prince momentarily when her tunic gaped open.

"Perhaps we should seek Anhora out. Make him give you the second test now instead of prolonging it." Arthur had to force his eyes away from her.

"I don't negotiate with sorcerers. My father won't hear of it."

"Then it's probably best you don't tell him.' She gave a little smirk, making the prince have to fight back his own. She really was too compelling for his own good.

"I must go check on the guard. See if you can find me some food." Emerlyn sighed as he strode out of the room, evidently still not ready to take responsibility. It was much too easy to blame Anhora, after all.

"Find some food. Like that's going to be easy in a city with no food." The witch muttered to herself.

/*/

"You were right." Emerlyn glanced over at where Arthur sat.

"What do you mean?" The prince sighed as he got to his feet.

"I'm the reason for the curse. I…I was too prideful to walk away from an insult and Anhora said Camelot will suffer greatly." The witch quickly climbed to her feet.

"Is that what happened before I arrived?"

"Yes. It was another test and I failed. And now my people will starve and die." Arthur said quietly, guilt filling every pore of his being. Emerlyn bit her lip as she reached out to squeeze his hand.

"I'm sure we'll figure something out. We always do." He gave her a skeptical look.

"How?"

"I don't know. But now that you've taken responsibility, I'm positive we can get through this."

"I'd never have even uttered an insult to that unicorn if I'd known the consequences. How one mistake can ruin everything is…alarming." The prince mumbled, not releasing her hand as he started walking. He just needed the physical contact to ground him.

"Yes, if this has taught us anything, it's to think before we act." Emerlyn responded, walking in step with him and trying not to notice how nice his hand around hers felt.

"I just hope there's a future to think about at all."

"Me too."

The pair shared a glance before going silent, knowing no amount of reassurances was going to ease their troubles. The fate of Camelot very well may be doomed, no matter how much they wished otherwise.

/*/

After her disgusting lunch of beetle, Emerlyn ventured out to find Arthur. She had to make sure he didn't do anything rash, especially now that the remaining grain had rotten. There was no telling what a guilt ridden, desperate prince would do for his people.

She finally found him up on a balcony, staring down at the never ending line of hungry citizens waiting for rations. He looked so troubled that the witch had to restrain herself form throwing her arms around him.

"They don't yet know that there is worse to come." Arthur spoke when she reached his side, standing so close that their sides brushed.

"What do you mean?" The prince glanced up at her, his blue eyes heavy with guilt.

"My father is going to stop distributing food to the people. They are to be left to starve. I had a chance to lift the curse. And I failed them."

"You weren't to know you were being tested."

"My people are starving. Camelot is on the verge of collapse. And it is all my doing."

"Then let's fix it!" Emerlyn exclaimed, tugging on his hunched shoulder until he looked her in the eye.

"How do you propose we do that? I've already failed."

"We'll…I'll demand Anhora give you another test."

"What good would that do? Even if you could find him, I doubt he'd be willing to oblige your request." Arthur retorted, all hope gone.

"If Anhora really does not want Camelot's demise, then he will give you another test. He has to."

"Emerlyn—" But she was gone, her trim figure hurrying back inside the castle to make her way out to the forest. All Arthur could do was hope she was successful.

/*/

"Arthur! Arthur!" The servant barged into his room, completely forgetting about things like knocking in her excitement.

"Emerlyn!" The prince exclaimed, grabbing his night shirt to cover his expose chest.

"Oh, no time for that! I did it! I got Anhora to agree to give you another test." The witch said happily, not even batting an eye when the night shirt feel from numb fingers.

"Really?"

"Yes! You must go to the Labyrinth of Gedref, where you'll face a final test."

"I…very well. Gather my armor and hurry back."

The servant flew out of the room, surprised at her own energy considering she was starving. But there were more important things to think about then her complaining stomach; mainly, how Arthur was going to pass the last test to lift the curse.

When she returned, the prince had finished dressing, only waiting on his armor. Which they both made quick work of, not wanting to waste a moment.

"Let me come with you." Emerlyn said as he walked over to the table to make sure his bag was packed.

"You don't know what form the test will take. I might be able to help. I could be a distraction or something." He gave a little amused smile before firmly shaking his blonde head.

"You are not coming, Emerlyn. I brought this curse upon Camelot. I'm gonna be the one to lift it, or die trying."

"How does you dying help anyone?" She demanded, chest tightening at the mere suggestion. Arthur glanced up at her, seeing the sudden fear in her eyes.

"I will die knowing I did everything I can."

"Arthur." The prince paused at her quiet tone, turning back to look at her fully.

"I'll be fine." Emerlyn gave an unconvinced grunt.

"I'm coming with you." Arthur placed gentle hands on her shoulders, halting her determined stride.

"Emerlyn, you're to stay here and help the people as best you can. Is that understood?" She clenched her jaw at his order, clearly not wanting to agree.

The prince leaned down and gave her a brief kiss, aware once more that he might be going off to his death. That appeared to be the only time the two showed their feelings and he wasn't sure how he felt about that fact.

"Stay safe." The girl mumbled, not willing to actually acknowledge his order.

"Always." Arthur replied before leaving, determined to save his people. Emerlyn gave him a couple seconds head start before following, determined to save Arthur.

/*/

"Emerlyn?" She gave a sheepish shrug when he approached the table, hating that she'd fallen into Anhora's trap.

"I'm sorry." Arthur shook his head at her before casting his gaze to the watching Anhora.

"Let her go. I will take your test, but not till she's released."

"That is not possible. Emerlyn is part of the test. Please, sit." The old man replied and gestured to the tree stump. Arthur looked down at it before glancing back up, not liking this at all.

"If you refuse to test, you will have failed and Camelot will be destroyed." Arthur sighed before sitting down.

"I thought I told you to stay home." She gave another shrug.

"I couldn't let you do this alone." Even though it warmed him that she'd come, it also worried him. What role could she possibly have to play?

"Let's get on with it."

"There are two goblets before you. One of the goblets contains a deadly poison, the other goblet, a harmless liquid. All the liquid from both goblets must be drunk, but each of you may only drink from a single goblet."

"What kind of ridiculous test is that? What does it prove?" The prince demanded in annoyance.

"What it proves is for you to decide. If you pass the test, the curse will be lifted." Anhora replied before going silent.

Emerlyn and Arthur met each other's eyes, not really sure what to do. The fate of the entire kingdom of Camelot rested on Arthur's shoulders, on him passing this test. But no pressure.

"You shouldn't have come, Emerlyn." He said quietly, hating that she'd put herself in danger.

"You know me Arthur, I never do what you tell me to." They exchanged a smile at her cheeky reply, even though they knew they were just prolonging the inevitable.

"Okay, um, I'll drink from my goblet first." The witch said, working out the riddle in her head.

"If it's poisoned, you'll die."

"And if not, then you have to drink from yours and you'll die. I won't let you die, Arthur." She shook her head, not even willing to contemplate it.

"Well, one of us has to ide." The prince muttered, dread filling him. Sure, he'd said he'd die trying to lift the curse, but he hadn't known that was actually going to be his test.

He didn't want to die, but he also wouldn't let Emerlyn die or make his people suffer even more. And if he had to give up his life to make sure that didn't happen, then that's just what he'd have to do.

"We have to find a way to determine which goblet has the poison. Then I'll drink it."

"No, I will be the one to drink it." Emerlyn replied firmly.

"This is my doing, I'm drinking it."

"It is more important that you live, Arthur. You're the future King. I'm just a servant."

"I had no idea you were so keen to die for me." Arthur uttered with a small grin.

"Trust me, I can hardly believe it myself." Her words made him chuckle a little before he turned serious once more.

"I'm glad you're here, Emerlyn." They exchanged another glance, the heaviness of the situation pressing down on them.

"I've got it! We pour all the liquid into one goblet and then we can be sure it is poisoned. Then all the liquid can be drunk, and it will be from a single goblet." She said proudly, making the prince give her an astounded look.

"You never cease to surprise me. You're a lot smarter than you look."

"Did Arthur Pendragon just give me a compliment?" She questioned in amusement. Arthur gave a small smile before his eyes darted over her shoulder.

"Look out!" Glancing back, the witch saw nothing alarming. When she turned back, Arthur already had the full goblet in hand.

"No! I will drink it!" She demanded, trying to rise from the seat. But an unseen force, meaning Anhora, kept her seated.

"As if I would let you."

"You can't die! This isn't your destiny." She tried to persuade.

"It seems you're wrong again." He replied, eyes never leaving the goblet.

"Listen to me!" She pleaded, heart pounding so loudly in her ears she thought she'd go deaf from it.

"You know me, Emerlyn, I never listen to you." He turned her words back on her before giving a little toast and downing the liquid.

"Arthur! No!" But it was too late, he'd already swallowed.

"What have you done?" She asked in horror. She struggled against the force preventing her movement, desperate to get to him. But it did not let up until the prince fell off his stool, landing heavily on the rocky shore.

"Arthur! No!" She lept off the stump and dashed to his side, trying to see any life in his body.

"Arthur. Come on. Please." She shook him, but the prince remained unresponsive. Tears clouded her vision as he continued to make no movement.

"Do you realize what you've done? You've damned us all! Please, let me take his place!" She cried to Anhora.

"This was Arthur's test, not yours."

"You've killed him! He was meant to do great things, to unite the lands and now he's dead, because of you! I was meant to protect him." She continued to cry, fingers twisted in his chainmail as she struggled to get control of herself.

"He is not dead. He's merely consumed a sleeping draft. He will come round in a few hours." Anhora replied calmly.

"W-What?" The witch asked in confusion, wiping at her eyes to see him clearly.

"A unicorn is pure of heart. If you kill one, you must make amends by proving that you also are pure of heart. Arthur was willing to sacrifice his life to save yours. He has proved what is truly in his heart. The curse will be lifted."

"I…thank you." She whispered, but he seemed to hear her as he gave a slight nod. As he was turning to leave, Emerlyn snapped back to reality.

"Wait!" Anhora turned at her shout, wondering what else the young witch wanted.

"Uh, could you help me get him out of here?" Suddenly the three were in the woods outside the maze, their horses tied to a nearby tree.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, Emrys. Do take care, for you have many trials ahead." Before she could question how he knew her druid name, he was gone.

Sighing, Emerlyn left Arthur to collect firewood, not sure how long they'd be there. Once she had the fire going, she moved over to unsaddle the horses so they could relax.

She was shocked to find two large bags attached to a saddle, one filled with apples and the other, with carrots. Knowing it was Anhora's doing, the witch sent a silent thank you to him as she pulled them free.

Figuring the horses were even more hungry than she was, Emerlyn focused first on giving them both enough to curb the hunger. Which meant there were only a few pieces left over, but she knew the animals needed to be fed first. After taking an apple for herself, she kept the remainder for when Arthur awoke.

Now all she had to do was wait.

/*/

"Arthur."

The prince looked up from placing rocks around the horn at her soft call. When he saw the wonder on her face, he turned to see what had captured her attention. The unicorn he'd slain had been reborn!

The creature looked at them for what felt like hours before finally turning away. The pair watched, mesmerized. Until the unicorn was out of sight.

"So beautiful." Emerlyn breathed, heart filling with joy once more. She turned and threw her arms around Arthur's neck, not able to contain herself anymore.

"It's wonderful! Absolutely wonderful!" Laughing lightly at her joy, Arthur wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her tightly against him.

"Yes, don't ever let me kill another unicorn." Emerlyn laughed as she sealed their mouths together.

She was tired of fighting her feelings, of denying them. They'd come so close to losing him forever and the servant didn't want to waste time being timid and bashful. Arthur whole heartedly concurred.

**AN: So how was it? Please be nice and REVIEW! Thanks. **


	10. Chapter 10

**AN: Thanks for all the lovely reviews! I'm glad you're all enjoying the story and how I'm handling the season. I hope you like this chapter and please leave a comment to let me know! Thanks again!**

**Alright, so I won't be updating for a little while, so I wanted to give you guys this before I go off grid so you guys don't get upset with me. **

**Discaimer: I don't own anything related to Merlin.**

Chapter 10: A Choice Made

Emerlyn jerked awake, her heart pounding wildly. It was as if she'd woken from a nightmare, only she'd actually been having a lovely dream featuring a shirtless Arthur. So she was confused about what had startled her awake.

As she sat up in bed, trying to calm herself, she heard a high pitched ringing in the air and felt the humming of her blood that signified magic. Powerful magic. Somewhere in Camelot, someone was doing very powerful magic.

Fearful that the city was under attack, the girl sprang out of bed and pulled her boots on, completely forgetting that she only wore an almost sheer white shift. Grabbing up the small dagger Arthur had let her borrow, she crept from the tower, thankful that Gaius seemed to be absent.

The witch made it out to the courtyard just in time to see Arthur leading the guards and a prisoner back towards the citadel. It was too dark to make out the bound man, and when she tried to move forward to ask what had happened, a strong hand shot out and grasped her shoulder.

Giving a startled yelp, the witch spun around, dagger coming up to slash at her attacker. When she was met with the face of Sir Richard, she lowered the weapon, but the damage was already done.

"I'm so sorry!" Emerlyn grabbed at the arm she'd cut, trying to stop the blood flow even as minimal as it was.

"It's just a scratch. What are you doing out here so late? And armed?" The knight questioned, trying to keep his eyes level with hers. Arthur would not take kindly to him ogling Emerlyn, even when it was almost impossible not to.

The servant only wore a white shift or night gown, he wasn't really sure. And her hair was down from its ever present braid, spilling over her shoulders and down her back in silky raven curls. She looked as if she'd just rolled out of someone's bed and the picture it made was very enticing.

"I-I thought I heard something. And with Camelot always being attacked, I wanted to check it out." She tried to explain, blushing at her carless actions. But the bleeding had stopped already, so she lowered her hand.

"It's been taken care of. Best get back to bed before the prince sees you." Eyes darting over to the retreating back of the guards, she gave a quick nod.

"Of course, Sir Richard. I'm sorry about your arm." She bit her bottom lip, making the man have to silently remind himself that this particular servant was off limits.

"It's fine. Go." Emerlyn waver goodbye to the knight before moving back into the castle.

When she entered the chamber, Gaius had returned and was writing at his stand. Hearing the door open, the physician looked over.

"I thought you were sleeping." The witch shuffled into the room, closing the door behind her.

"I felt powerful magic being used, so I went to investigate."

"In your night clothes? Really, Emerlyn." She gave a sheepish shrug, having forgotten that fact.

"I was in a hurry." Gaius just shook his head at her, not knowing what he was going to do with her. The two were interrupted when Gwen came barging in, face shadowed with fear.

"Gwen! What's wrong?" Emerlyn asked as her friend rushed over to her, large doe eyes filled with panic.

"My father's been arrested." She cried, shocking the other two.

"Arrest? What for?" Emerlyn's mind flashed back to Arthur and the guards leading a man into the castle. How could she have not known it was Gwen's father?

"They say he was making weapons for a sorcerer. They're charging him with treason!" She exclaimed, overwhelmed.

"Oh, Gwen. I'm so sorry." The witch gave her a hug, hating the pain she was in.

"I just don't understand. My father would never work for a sorcerer. Not when the punishment is death! Emerlyn, you've got to help him. Please!" Gwen pleaded, desperate.

"I…I'll try my best, I promise. You should go see your father; let him know you believe he's innocent." Gwen gave a tearful nod, glancing between the witch and physician before leaving.

"Uther will not let this go unpunished. The sentence for treason is execution." Gaius said softly.

"I won't let Gwen lose her father. Even if it means he has to go into hiding, I won't let him be killed."

"Be careful, Emerlyn. If you're caught, you'll be executed too."

"I'll be careful." She promised before heading for her room.

"Get dressed. We'll meet Gwen down in the dungeon to see what Tom says." The old man called out, knowing they'd need more information.

"Good idea." The girl replied before shutting her door to get changed. No need to be seen in her nightdress by anyone else.

/*/

She was resting next to a post, watching over Gwen, when the ringing started again. Either Tauren had found someone else to help him forge gold or the stone Gwen mentioned was calling out to her.

Even after all she'd seen, it was still a little unbelievable that alchemy of all things was actually a real thing. It was an amazing thought, what one could do if they had a never ending supply of gold.

Kingdoms would wage war over such a resource. Emerlyn doubted Uther would even turn down the opportunity, even when it required magic. The tyrant would probably imprisons a sorcerer and force them to do it just to stay alive.

Her musings were cut shorty when her door opened and the Lady Morgana stepped inside.

"Emerlyn." The elegant woman greeted, sparing her a glance before focusing on her maid.

"Morgana?"

"How is she?" Emerlyn came to stand next to her, both peering down at their sleeping friend.

"She's doing okay. As best as she can."

"We should let her rest." The two turned away from Gwen and exited the room, not wanting to disturb her.

"Morgana, have you spoken to Uther? He must realize that this is a mistake. Whatever Tom was doing, it wasn't plotting against the King." The women stopped at the bottom of the stairs.

"I know that. Of course I do. Arthur and I both tried to reason with him, to get Tom's punishment lessened. But, Uther…Uther only sees enemies."

"But Tom is the most gentle soul I've ever met. Surely with Arthur's backing, he'd be given a lesser sentence." Emerlyn said, pride for the prince filling her even as fear for Tom fought for space. Morgana sighed and shook her head.

"It doesn't matter what Arthur or I say. He was seen with Tauren. That makes him an enemy; in Uther's eyes at least." Morgana replied bitterly before heading for the door.

"Then…there's little hope?" The witch questioned, making the lady turn back to look her in the eyes.

"There's no hope, Emerlyn. None at all." Morgana said before striding from the room.

Sighing, Emerlyn glanced back at Gwen's sleeping form. It was settled then; she'd have to sneak Tom out tonight after everyone had gone to sleep, as it was doubtful he'd be found innocent at his trial. There was no possibility of Uther finding him innocent at his trial tomorrow, and she could not just sit by and let an innocent man be executed by the paranoid king.

/*/

Hoping she could talk Arthur into fighting his father's order in case she couldn't sneak Tom out, Emerlyn set out looking for the prince. After a fruitless search of the castle, she finally spotted his golden head out past the gates of the citadel courtyard, where there appeared to be a gathering.

"What's going on?" She questioned once she'd reached him. Arthur spared her a glance before looking forward, watching as guards started leading people up from the lower town.

"These people have been convicted of treason for housing and feeding Tauren." The prince explained, not missing the horrified expression that filtered over Emerlyn's face.

"They're to be executed?"

"Yes, Emerlyn." Arthur replied, hating having to see any of his people so severely punished.

"By order of the King?"

"They committed a very serious crime."

"Giving a man a bed for the night?" She asked in outrage, hating that he seemed not to care. Where had the man who was willing to die for his people gone?

"Not a man. A sorcerer."

"Arthur! It's highly doubtful he let it be known what he was! You're killing these people for simply doing their jobs; for making a living."

"It is not for you to question my father's actions. Is that understood?" Arthur demanded angrily, despising the guilt that her words intensified. But his head strong servant didn't back down.

"Then it should be yours! How you forget so quickly that these are the very people you fought to save only weeks ago. Now you condemn them under the pretenses of following the law. There is nothing far or justified about this!" She almost shouted, forgetting for a moment that they were very much in public.

"If you don't want to end up on a noose, I'd suggest you go on to wherever you should be." Arthur bit out, glaring furiously at her.

How he could find her completely maddening, and yet, irresistible at the same time, he hadn't a clue. He should send her to the dungeons for how she'd spoken, but the prince couldn't help but admire her for it. Emerlyn was never afraid to speak her mind; at least, while not in front of the king. And he admired that. Even when her words made him feel like a dung beetle.

"Yes, sire. Of course." She gave a sarcastic curtsy before marching away, silently cursing him the whole way. She hoped that one day he'd grow enough of a back bone to refuse his father, as he'd done about the cutting off of rations order.

Arthur Pendragon needed to become his own man and stop trying to please his father if they ever had a hope of changing anything.

/*/

"I'm gonna get your father out of Camelot." Emerlyn said softly, squeezing Gwen's hand.

"Be careful, Emerlyn. If anything were to happen—"

"It'll be fine." The witch smiled in reassurance before standing. She grabbed the bag her and Gwen had put together for Tom and slung it over her shoulder.

"You must be quick and quiet." Gaius uttered, not liking this plan at all. But there was no swaying his ward.

"I know." Taking a calming breathe, Emerlyn nodded to both of them before leaving. It was now or never.

She'd only made it two steps when the warning bells sounded, startling the woman ad making fear shoot through her. If Tom had tried to escape, there was no way the guards wouldn't just kill him on sight.

"What is that?" Gwen rushed form the chamber, eyes wide with fright.

"You both need to come back inside. You don't want to be seen/" Gaius's voice sounded from the doorway, drawing their attention.

"But—"

"Emerlyn, now." The witch bit her lip as she followed his command.

"M-My father…he wouldn't have tried to escape. Right?" Gwen's voice broke as she sat heavily on a stool. Emerlyn and Gaius exchanged a look, not really sure of anything.

"We won't know until morning. Go get in bed. If anyone sees you up and about, you could get blamed." The old man muttered, knowing sleep would be unlikely for either female. But he wouldn't let them risk themselves by going out; especially not since Tom was most likely already dead.

"C'mon." Emerlyn pulled Gwen up and helped her to the bed, saddened that she hadn't been fast enough. She didn't know how her friend would get through this.

/*/

"Are you alright, Gwen?" Emerlyn asked, entering her room. She'd seen her friend's reaction to her father's body being carted off and wished there was some way she could help.

"I just don't understand why'd he try to escape. His trial was this morning, so he should have waited. At least then you'd have gotten him away." The main replied sadly, reddened eyes meeting the witch's.

"I'm so sorry I wasn't quicker."

"It wasn't your fault, Em. You only wanted to help him. I just wish he would have waited." The two friends fell into a sorrowful silence, neither knowing how to make this better. Not that it could ever be made better.

They looked to the door when knocking started, both surprised when Arthur walked into the room. Emerlyn felt a rush of hot anger at the sight of him, even though she knew he'd disagreed with Uther about Tom's sentencing.

"Sire." Gwen stood up respectfully. Arthur gave a heavy sigh and stepped forward, his entire being riddled with guilt. If only he'd fought harder on Tom's behalf, Gwen might not be fatherless. It didn't seem to matter now that he'd gotten the others' sentences reduced.

"Guinevere, I want you to know that your job is safe. And that your home is yours for life. I guarantee you that. I know that under the circumstances, it's not much, but anything you want, anything you need, all you have to do is ask." The crown-prince murmured, glancing at his servant, the guilt clear as day in his blue eyes.

Gwen didn't know what to say, as grief choked her. Emerlyn felt a little of her anger subside, knowing Arthur didn't have to make any such promises. The fact that he would anyways made the servant think he hadn't fallen back as far as she'd feared.

"I'm sorry." The blonde man said after a moment of silence and turned away, shame of his father almost overwhelming.

"Thank you, sire." Gwen spoke up, finally finding her voice. He gave a slight nod before exiting, Emerlyn following at his heels.

"That was very kind of you." Arthur gave a bitter scoff.

"It's the least I could do, after my father killed her and all." Placing a gentle hand on his shoulder, Emerlyn made him meet her gaze.

"It was still very kind and thoughtful. We both know the King would not have made such promises. I'm just thankful that you would." Her words were spoken softly, privately. Arthur gave a tired sigh, rubbing at his eyes.

"I just…Gwen shouldn't have lost her father. Now she has no one." Emerlyn slid her arms around his neck, all her anger melting away.

"She'll have us to help her through this. And I'm sure Morgana will give her some time to grieve."

"After she's released from the dungeons, you mean." Arthur replied, hands resting on her hips.

"What're you talking about?"

"Morgana said some things to the king that he didn't take lightly. She'll be down there until she learns her lesson; or so my father says." Emerlyn gave a surprised sound.

"He locked her up for simply speaking her mind?"

"The things she said were treasonous, Emerlyn. And unlike me, the king is not as forgiving of the sharp tongues of opinionated women." Arthur replied, arching a brow at her.

"Everything to the King is treasonous. It's a good thing you didn't speak of our argument or I'd be chained up next to her!" She said angrily, her hate for Uther Pendragon building by the minute. She pulled away from Arthur and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Emerlyn."

"No, don't even bother. I can't believe he'd do something so…and to his own ward. It disgusts me." The prince hated the venom in her voice, wanting to ease her fury. Why she got so worked up about every decision of his father's, he didn't know. But he was starting to realize that the outspoken servant merely voiced his own inner thoughts.

"I'm going to try and persuade my father to release her. He'll make her spend the night, but I think I can convince him to let her out early."

"You…really?" She turned back with a hopeful look.

"Of course. Morgana's like my sister and I hate to see her in irons. I had planned to speak with my father after leaving here." The witch gave a happy sound and threw her arms around his broad shoulders.

"I'm so glad you're actually becoming a man that I can respect." He wasn't sure if he should be upset by her words or happy. Thankfully, he didn't have to decide as their mouths were quickly sealed.

"I'll take it you're not mad at me anymore." He concluded when they broke apart.

"Oh you know me, I can't stay upset with you. Besides, you were following orders, so I shouldn't have gotten so mad anyway. The fact that you came here today proves that while you can't always make the king see reason, at least you understand the impact of those decisions and actually feel remorseful." Emerlyn explained, giving him another kiss before stepping back.

"You're on your way to becoming a great king, Arthur Pendragon." She said seriously. The prince rolled his eyes at her before leaving, knowing his father expected hi for dinner. He really didn't understand his servant sometimes.

/*/

"Kilgharrah!" Emerlyn called loudly, waking the slumbering beast. The dragon gave a tired sigh as he sat up.

"It's a little early for your usual visit, young witch. I take that to mean something is wrong?" The witch gave a little shrug, knowing there was no use in denying the obvious.

"I just…I need your help."

"Of course you do. But this time, will you heed my words?" Emerlyn gave a sheepish look, knowing he had a point.

"Maybe. I just don't know what to do. The sorcerer Tauren is plotting to kill the king. He has made an ally of Morgana, which is understandable since Uther chained her up in the dungeons for challenging him. I just…" She trailed off, her pretty face pinched in confusion and worry.

"Do nothing." Kilgharrah said, as if the choice was obvious.

"What do you mean? If I do nothing, Uther will die."

"Don't you want Uther dead? It is Uther that persecutes you and your kind, Emerlyn. It is Uther that murders the innocent…"

"I don't care about Uther's life! I care about Arthur. And as much as he's grown, Arthur is not ready to be king. The death of his father will break him, and Camelot will fall to its enemies." She explained.

"You do not give the young prince enough credit, Emerlyn. Let Arthur's reign begin and fulfill your destiny." The dragon said firmly before flying up and away, cutting the discussion off.

"Thanks so much. You were so helpful!" She yelled sarcastically before leaving, no more decided then when she'd arrived.

/*/

After her discussion with Gaius and Gwen, Emerlyn knew she couldn't let Uther die. Especially not by a sorcerer. Arthur wasn't ready to be king or to lose his father, so she'd just have to get past her own feelings. Besides, nowhere did it say she was a murderer, even if she did hate the king.

This realization is what caused her to be out in the woods, using the sidhe staff to dispatch Tauren's men. She had to admit it was very effective and kept her out of hitting range. Unfortunately, it did not work very well against the mage stone, which absorbed the bolt then shot it back at her.

By the time she regained consciousness, Tauren had already made it to the king. When she crested the kill, she was met with the sight of Uther and Morgana embracing.

Thankful Morgana hadn't gone through with it, the witch hunkered down until she was well hidden. It'd be too risky to try and escape, what with no men to mask her noise.

The king and his ward spent several minutes embracing before they headed back to their horses. Emerlyn waited until they were out of sight before she made her way to Tauren's body.

Grimacing at the sight of his lifeless eyes, the witch patted him down until she felt the bulge of the mage stone in his pocket. Knowing she couldn't risk it falling into the wrong hands, or especially Uther's, Emerlyn pushed aside her disgust and dug into his pocket until she was able to pull the stone free.

The minute it touched her skin, the stone lit up and started ringing, making her quickly grab for its bag before anyone else heard it. How Uther could have just forgotten about it completely was mind boggling and yet, very beneficial all at the same time. Now all she had to do was make sure the stone remained safely hidden away.

**AN: So how'd you like it? I know it was short, but please review and let me know. I wasn't even going to do this episode, but I thought it was needed to show how Emerlyn perceives Uther and why she keeps saving him. Let me know what you think.**


	11. Chapter 11

**AN: My Isle of the Blessed is more like the one used in Season 3, mixed together with the Isle of Avalon from 'Mists of Avalon' and my own imagination. I'm so sorry for the delay. My life kinda imploded, so I haven't had the time or the right mindset to write. I hope you like this chapter and let me know what you think.**

Guest: Thanks so much! I'm so thrilled you liked the chapter so much! I wasn't planning on writing the episode, but I really liked how it turned out. I also liked the scene with Sir Richard, as I thought it was interesting to see a knight's perspective. We don't get to see them often, but with my story, I think they'll play an important role in the future with regards to the couple's relationship. I'm so happy you think I've written Arthur well. I've tried to stay true to his character, while making him a tad bit more his own person instead of just blindly following Uther. I hope you like this chapter and will let me know!

Can't sign in: Thanks so much for the review. I'm so glad you liked the chapter and how I'm writing the story. Sweet Dreams is going to be a fun episode to write I think. I can so see a jealous Emerlyn making an appearance, lol.

Chapter 11: Saving Arthur…Again

Emerlyn really hated being dragged into the forest to investigate the rumors about a terrifying beast. At least this time Arthur had brought several knights and many sharpened weapons; hopefully they'd make it out unscratched. Yeah right.

They stopped while still being slightly camouflaged in some bushes, Arthur kneeling down to get into a better position. How well they blended in, however, Emerlyn didn't understand as the knights were all wearing their bright red capes that were a stark contrast to the green foliage around them.

"Emerlyn! Spear!" The prince held his hand out, eyes not stopping their perusal of any threat. Emerlyn tried to hand it to him, but one of the bushes got in the way, causing her to drop it.

"Do you have any natural gifts, Emerlyn?" He asked in annoyance, jerking the spear up off the ground.

"Yes. I have a lovable personality and an unexplainable ability to put up with _you_." She retorted, making the five knights have to swallow their amusement. Now really wasn't the time for laughs.

"And naturally irritating." Arthur said with an eye roll, standing and creeping out of the plants. She just shrugged and followed, trying not to drop the crossbow. They all stopped at the sound of an animal grunting, all on high alert. Arthur glanced back and saw her wide eyes.

"It's probably more scared of you than you are of it." He tried to ease he fears, which didn't really work. He signaled for his men to go around, but swung back in alarm as a huge, snake like animal came crashing down in front of him, growling furiously.

"I'm so more scared of it." Emerlyn muttered, eyes huge as the beast reared back on its hind legs and roared.

"Time to run." Arthur shouted, everyone quickly turning to flee, weapons either clutched tightly or dropped from clammy hands. The witch cursed her clumsy self when she tripped, landing roughly on the ground. Before the creature could strike, hands were pulling her up and helping her escape, them all running for their lives.

When they reached a clearing, they paused to catch their breath. She was surprised to see a couple knights had actually managed to keep a hold of their weapons.

"Have we lost it?" She questioned, looking around.

"Who's missing?" Was Arthur's response, only counting four knights when there should have been five. The servant looked to each knight, trying to see who wasn't there.

"Where's Sir Bedivere?" Her question was met with the sound of a man screaming in horror before all went silent.

Arthur cursed harshly, furious they'd lost a man. He trained with the knights every day; he was their leader, and he felt each of their deaths painfully. Sir Bedivere had been a good and brave man, one Arthur had been proud to have at his back.

"Sire, we must go before the beast attacks." Sir Richard spoke, eyes scanning the trees.

"Yes, you're right. Let's get back and report to the King." Arthur replied heavily, knowing there wasn't anything to be done for their fallen comrade.

Emerlyn followed quietly as they trekked through the forest, guilt heavy in her heart. She knew that Sir Bedivere died helping her escape and the witch felt awful about it. She really needed to work on her coordination before anyone else got hurt on her account.

/*/

Once more they were sent out to risk life and limb. But Emerlyn knew it was part of her duty, her destiny; so she just shrugged and went along, even though her presence really shouldn't have been allowed, what with her being female and all. They'd had so many near death experiences in the last few months that she figured this was just one more.

Testing the sword Arthur had demanded she take, she felt a little foolish as she examined the blade. She was still so awful with the weapon and she wondered why Arthur even bothered. She really needed to find something more suited to her in the future. If there was a future, that is.

"This is no ordinary beast, Emerlyn." Gaius spoke up from behind her, drawing her attention.

"Don't worry so much. I'm sure we'll be fine." The girl gave a charming smile, but the physician would not be put off.

"No, listen to me. You don't understand. Uther may not respect the Old Religion, but it is very real, as you should know. To face a beast such as this you must understand where it came from." Gaius explained, pointing to the illustration in the book he held.

"What do you mean?"

"At the very heart of the Old Religion lies the magic of life and death itself. The Questing Beast carries that power. One bite, you die, and there is no cure." The old man stressed.

"But…if it has the power of life _and_ death, then shouldn't it be able to heal the bite as well?" Emerlyn wondered, setting the blade down to focus entirely on her guardian.

"No. The Questing Beast only takes life. You must be very careful, Emerlyn."

"You mean as much as I can be while hunting it with a bunch of, often times senseless, men? Sure, that'll be easy." She remarked sarcastically, making Gaius give her head a whack.

"I'm deadly serious, Emerlyn. One bite will kill the victim."

"I know. Sorry. I'll be careful." She promised before turning back to the sword, wanting to sharpen it. If it was her only protection than she wanted it to slice like a champ.

/*/

Morgana's terrified cries kept sounding through her head as she followed the prince as he tracked the beast. The older woman was a seer, and if she dreamt something so scary that it caused such a reaction, Emerlyn was worried for them all.

When Arthur led them to a cave, dread and fear filled the witch; it was just like a terrifying, deadly monster to dwell in such a place. Somewhere were the victims had little place to run to and hide or room to maneuver easily. It was perfect, really. For the beast, that is.

And then it was just the two of them, the knights having broken up to explore different tunnels. They should have known better, really, as everything out to kill them always seemed to find her and Arthur. They were like danger magnets or something.

"I think we found its lair." Emerlyn whispered as they tried to avoid the skeletons littered on the floor.

"Shh." Arthur hushed, hearing a noise. They spun around when a rumbling sounded, trying to spot the creature before it could attack them. Then roaring sounded from behind them and the monster loomed over them, ready to strike.

Arthur pushed Emerlyn away, wanting her as far from the animal as possible. He shouldn't' have brought her on the mission to begin with, so he wanted her to stay safe and unharmed. He swung his sword, trying to make impact with the beast's scaly skin.

The witch dashed away, needing to get to higher ground so she could kill it. She figured the spell that had enchanted the lance against the griffin would work on the Questing Beast, since they were both mystical creatures. But she just needed a clear shot, and Arthur out of hearing range, to eliminate it.

When she got a clear view, she cursed when she saw Arthur's prone body and the beast moving towards him. Thinking quickly, she shouted and waved her torch, drawing its attention. And while it turned to launch another attack, she enchanted Arthur's sword to kill it.

Thankful it hadn't trampled the prince in its dying stumbling, Emerlyn rushed back down to the floor. When she saw Arthur lying completely still, she prayed he was merely unconscious.

"It didn't bite you, did it?" She questioned the unresponsive man, shaking his shoulders. When she brought her hand away and it was painted red, the girl felt panic set in. Morgana's cried once more sounded in her ears.

"Arthur! Somebody help me!" She screamed, hoping the knights would hurry. Not wanting to waste any time, the servant shuffled behind her master and hooked her hands under his arms and began dragging.

"Somebody! The prince is injured!" She continued to shout, desperate for someone, anyone, to hear her.

By the time she made it to the mouth of the cave, where it had sectioned off into different tunnels, she was coated in sweat and gasping for air. But she had to get Arthur back to Camelot quickly, so she just pushed forward. The thundering of booted feet was like an angel's song to her ears.

"What happened?" A knight demanded, reaching down to ease the prince out of the servant's aching arms. Sir Leon helped him carry Arthur out of the cave while Sir Richard helped her.

"He was bitten, I think. We must get him to Gaius immediately." She said once she'd regained her breathe.

The knights exchanged wrorried looks before they were moving into action, trying to get Arthur back to their horses as quickly as humanly possible. The witch kept pace, too worried to allow her exhaustion to be known.

/*/

Emerlyn tried to stop the sobs that wrecked her body as she watched the king struggle to carry Arthur's limp, lifeless body. How had she let this happen? She was supposed to protect him and now he was dying.

It wasn't like all the other times when death was just a possibility. This time…there may be no saving Arthur's life. She'd failed him and her destiny. She'd allowed her fear of being discovered to allow the beast the mere moments it needed to land a deadly bite. She'd failed her Arthur.

When Uther went down to his knees, unable to continue forward, the witch bore witness to the first show of emotions she'd ever seen from the tyrannical king. It was heartbreaking to see him, even when she didn't even like him; because, it just reinforced the reality of the situation. Arthur was dying.

_No! There has to be a way. There is always a way. If my magic isn't strong enough, then I'll find someone's whose is._

Emerlyn gave one last look at the scene before she made her way towards the underground cavern. Everyone was so distracted she doubted she'd be missed. She'd never needed Kilgharrah to have the answers to her questions more than at that very moment.

"I have failed Arthur, failed in my destiny." She murmured, eyes still stinging from tears as she stepped out onto the ledge. She didn't know if she'd ever get the image of the lifeless Arthur out of her head.

"And yet you would not be here if that were true." The great dragon responded.

"He was bitten by the Questing Beast. He's going to die." She spoke, her voice breaking at the end.

"Does he still breathe?"

"Only just." Her throat tightened at the admission.

"Then there is still time to heal him."

"So, there is a way? I've tried, but I cannot save him. What must I do? Or who do I have to find?" She questioned, hope filling her.

"It will not be easy, young witch."

"I will do anything, Kilgharrah. I cannot lose him." She said firmly, knowing she wouldn't survive his death.

"Anything?"

"Yes. He…I…he means a great deal to me. Please, what must I do?" She pleaded, knowing time was of the essence.

"The Questing Beast is a creature conjured by the powers of the Old Religion. You must use the same ancient magic to save him."

"But—the Old Religion died out centuries ago." She responded, confused.

"If that were true, you would not be alive today. The Old Religion is the magic of the earth itself. It is the essence which binds all things together. It will last long beyond the time of men." Kilgharrah corrected.

"But how can that help me save Arthur?"

"Because you have not ascended to your rightful place, you must find those who still serve it. Those who hold dominion over life and death."

"Wait, what do you mean I 'haven't ascended'?"

"Emerlyn, you are meant to do great things in this world. _You_ are of the Old Religion. If you were fully trained, you could save Arthur yourself. As it is, you must find help elsewhere." The witch was filled with questions, but she didn't have the time.

"Where do I find these people?"

"Go to the place that men call the Isle of the Blessed. Where the power of the ancients can still be felt. There you will discover Arthur's salvation." The giant reptile divulged.

"Thank you." She said, grateful beyond words.

"And, Emerlyn, the young Pendragon_ must_ live, no matter what the cost." She nodded before leaving, mind racing. A warning like that could only mean one thing. A life for a life.

/*/

"Hey Gwen, could I, um…could I be alone with him for a minute?" The black haired witch asked, heart squeezing painfully at the sight of Arthur.

"Of course." Gwen responded, setting down the rag she'd been using against his sweaty brow. As she passed, the maidservant gave Emerlyn a brief hug, knowing how upset she was.

Emerlyn knew she should have sat out already for the Isle of the Blessed, but she just couldn't bear the thought of leaving without seeing him one last time. Moving quietly over to his bedside, Emerlyn sat down next to him and ran her fingers lightly over his damp face. The bandage on his left shoulder had already bled through and it strengthened her resolve to complete her quest.

"I don't know if you can hear me, Arthur, but I'm going to save you. I promise. You…there's so much more you are destined for; letting you die is simply out of the question. The world isn't ready to not have you in it.

"But, uh, to save you I have to do something you would kill me for. I have to travel to a place where the Old Religion is still practiced. I know you'd hate having magic used on you, but it's the only way to save you. The bite…only magic of the most powerful kind can cure it." Emerlyn whispered, stroking his cheek as her heart began to pound crazily.

"I'm not as stupid as people think. I know that to save a life, one must be given. I'm willing to pay that price for you, but I needed to see you before I go. I don't know how the magic will work, so it's uncertain if I'll make it back to you in time." Quickly wiping up the tear that had fallen onto his neck, the woman scrubbed at her face.

"And if I don't, I need to tell you something. I've wanted to share this with you, but I was afraid how you'd react. That…that you'd hate me. And I couldn't bear that, because of how much I…care for you." Taking a deep breath, the witch peered down at Arthur's sweaty face, trying to mesmerize it.

"I'm a witch, Arthur; I have magic. I was born with it, so it was not by choice, like it is with sorcerers. I've never done anything to hurt anyone, unless it was to protect others or myself. I know…that you probably don't believe me, but it's true.

"I would never do anything to hurt you or Camelot, Arthur. All I do, I do for you and the future you'll bring about. I hope one day you can forgive me for lying, but it was the only way to keep you protected and myself alive.

"I-I just wanted you to know before I left. I don't w-want to d-die with secrets b-between us." Emerlyn had to stop as her throat became tight and tears clouded her vision. Leaning down, she pressed a kiss to his dry lips, the tears escaping her clenched eyes to spill onto his cheeks as she pulled away.

"You'll be a great king one day. Just, please, don't let your father's hate blind you and keep you from being the king you're meant to be. I…I'll miss you." She pulled away and stood, heart breaking as she backed away from the man she'd fallen for. He would most likely not know she'd even been there, but at least she could die with no secrets.

"Just hold on a little longer, Arthur." She said firmly before turning, needing to depart quickly. Every minute wasted was a minute he slipped farther away from the land of the living.

/*/

It took her almost a day to reach the Isle of the Blessed, the lucky rabbit's foot held tightly in her hand the entire trip. Her thighs were chaffing from how hard she'd been riding and her bladder was screaming, but the witch refused to stop even for a toilet break.

When she finally reached the dock, Emerlyn almost fell to her knees in happiness. But the knowledge that just reaching the Isle was only a small part of her journey kept her somber. She quietly dismounted and unstrapped her belongings, tying her horse up to a tree in reach of some grass.

"That looks welcoming." She muttered to herself upon see the old, rickety boat waiting. Hoping it wouldn't sink, she lightly stepped into it, brow furrowing when she saw no paddles. Shrugging, she enchanted it to move and steer itself, quickly sitting down so as not to tip over.

Her first sight of the Isle was not what she'd expected. For an island that had so much mystical history, she'd thought it would be an obviously magical place; a breathtaking centre for magic.

But the isle was just a bunch of ruins up on a hill. As she drew nearer, it became clear that there used to be a city of some sort, as there were many, many decrepit buildings winding down the slope, with an equally ruined castle at the top.

The boat came to a stop at a dock that had to have been kept from rotting by magic. Still, Emerlyn moved very cautiously across the wooden planks, afraid they'd crumble beneath her at the slightest pressure. She made it to the end of the pier safely, sighing in relief when her boots hit hard land.

Uncertain of exactly where she was supposed to go, Emerlyn began making her way up through the once vibrant city, figuring she'd most likely find the person who was to help her in the castle.

Even as it crumbled, the city had very obviously once been a capital of some kind. She could tell that unlike villages and the lower town of Camelot, each building was expertly made by highly skilled craftsmen. It was really a shame that a place once so full of life was now just a decaying relic of the past.

As she made her way up, the raven haired woman began to feel a slight pulsing in the air. It was just a small thing, but it still managed to send shivers of delight down her spine. This place had surely been a magical one; so powerful that it still harbored the echoes of the old.

The pulsing led her through the citadel courtyard, through the ruined castle, until she reached another courtyard. Only this one still held the heavy presence of magic, as if it'd been used there recently.

The area had a circle of stone pillars with a large altar stone residing in the middle. Emerlyn could clearly imagine people of the Old Religion coming here to practice their craft and worship.

"Hello?" She called out, not sure where this mystery person was hiding.

"Hello, Emerlyn." Spinning around, she saw Nimueh standing by the altar, where a moment before had been empty air. Anger surged through her at the sight of the woman who'd caused nothing but trouble for Camelot and Arthur. Not to mention, she'd _poisoned_ her!

"You?" Nimueh smirked at the girl's anger, pleased at how things were turning out in her favor.

"Do you know who I am?"

"Nimueh. You can't be who the Dragon meant."

"And why is that?" Her voice held amusement, which made Emerlyn's hackles rise.

"Uh, you tried to kill me! You tried to kill Arthur. You _did_ kill many innocent people!" The young with retorted, arms crossing over her chest. Nimueh gave a little nod of acknowledgement to her crimes.

"Yes. But that was before I understood your importance."

"And Arthur?" The older woman gave a slight shrug, unconcerned.

"Arthur was never destined to die at my hand. And now it seems I will be his salvation." Even though she hated the knowing smirk on Nimueh's face, Emerlyn couldn't stop hope from filling her heart.

"So you know what I have come to ask?"

"Yes."

"Great! Saves me from having to explain it all, then. Will you do it?" She took a step closer to the altar, desperate for an affirmative response.

"I do not have the power to mirror life itself and yet give nothing in return." The older woman replied seriously.

"I know what price will be asked and I'm will to pay it. I willingly give my life for Arthur's."

"How brave you are, Emerlyn. If only it were that simple." She said, impressed with the girl's devotion to the prince.

"What do you mean? A lie for a life. Seems simple enough to me." Emerlyn muttered, confused. She really hated being confused; and add that with the sly look on Nimueh's face, and she was getting nervous.

"Once you enter into this bargain, it cannot be undone." Fed up with her, Emerlyn sent Nimueh a heated glare.

"I will do whatever it is I have to to save Arthur. Now either help me or be gone, I'm tired of you finding joy and amusement in Arthur's misfortune." She gritted out, surprising the sorceress.

"So cheeky." Nimueh muttered before summoning a golden chalice and presenting it to Emerlyn.

"The Cup of Life, blessed by centuries of powerful sorcery so that it contains the very secret of life itself. If Arthur drinks water from the cup, he will live." Heart pounding, the witch moved to stand in front of her, eyes glued to the magical goblet. Eyes breaking away, she finally met those of Nimueh, a little unnerved by the entire situation.

Reaching out, her fingers gingerly closed around the cup's stem, eyes never leaving the other woman's. Nimueh still had a slight curve to her lips, something Emerlyn found unsettling. And then she released the cup and made it rain, drenching them in seconds. She'd never admit it out loud, but Emerlyn was impressed with her skillful casting.

"The bargain is struck." Nimueh said, handing her the vial she'd poured the blessed water into. Emerlyn was about to turn away when a hand latched onto her wrist.

"I hope it pleases you." And there was that creepy, pleased smile again, making Emerlyn's stomach knot in anxiety.

"I'm sure it will." She said softly before leaving, wanting to return to Camelot as quickly as possible.

/*/

Emerlyn paced nervously around the chamber, waiting on any word of Arthur's condition. Gaius had returned to his bedside almost two hours ago and she was going crazy waiting. There was little doubt in her mind that Nimueh could have fooled her.

She turned at the sound of the door opening, eyes begging her guardian for positive news. Arthur just had to live. He had to.

"The prince lives." The physician said somberly. Emerlyn's face split into a blinding smile of relief, happiness overwhelming her. Arthur was going to live!

Needing to sit before her knees gave out, the raven haired beauty slowly lowered herself to a stool and peered over at her worried guardian. The joy quickly fled as she was reminded of the price of such a miracle.

"I'm sorry, Gaius. I…it had to be done, no matter the cost." She murmured, seeing the pain flash in his eyes before he moved to fiddle with some potions, needing to keep occupied.

"The truth of that will not offer peace to those left behind." Emerlyn cringed at his words, hating the pain she was putting him through. But the bargain was struck, as Nimueh had said.

"I know." The two fell into a heavy silence, neither knowing what to say to ease it. How does one lighten the atmosphere when death hovered so closely?

/*/

Arthur stared up at the ceiling, mind whirling. His father and Gwen had both gone, leaving him in peace to try and sort out his thoughts. And did they need sorting! For, not only had he remembered what Gwen had spoken while at his side, but he also recalled the words uttered by Emerlyn.

'_I'm a witch, Arthur; I have magic.'_

The words seemed to echo in his mind until they were all he could hear. Emerlyn, his klutzy servant, had openly admitted to having and practicing magic! It was almost more than he could bear to think about.

He was torn about what to do, what course of action he should take. On one hand, magic was outlawed and it was his duty to protect the kingdom, no matter what. But on the other hand, there was no way _Emerlyn_ was evil. The notion was completely ridiculous!

No, the young woman had had many occasions to see Camelot's destruction, and yet, here it still stood. If Emerlyn wanted him and his father dead, he had no doubt they would be already. It was obvious that she did actually mean no harm to Camelot, as she'd claimed.

But…she had magic! He'd been taught since birth that those who practiced sorcery were evil. And even though he didn't always agree with his father's actions, the understanding had always been there. How was he supposed to reconcile the fact that his servant, his…love interest, practiced magic and he now knew about it?

One thing he did know, without a shadow of a doubt, was that he didn't want Emerlyn executed. He'd not be able to live with himself if he allowed that to happen. He'd have to keep this knowledge to himself at all costs, until Emerlyn did something that made doing so impossible. And even then, he'd still probably save her.

The more Arthur thought about her words, the more he remembered. Like the press of her lips against his or the fact that she'd said she'd give her life for his.

Fear shot through the prince, terrified his servant had actually bargained her life away for his. He hadn't seen the witch since he'd woken, which just added to his worry. Was he to just learn her secret and then lose her?

/*/

The witch returned to her home, filled with complete and utter betrayal. She'd thought Kilgharrah had been her friend, but he'd knowingly let her mother be sacrificed just so he could be free. She'd never felt such blinding anger and hurt in her entire life as she had in that moment.

"Where is she?" Emerlyn questioned as she walked into the chamber and saw Gaius sitting there.

"She's sleeping." He replied quietly, brow furrowed.

"Good." She sighed, closing the door before moving to sit next to him.

"Your silence does not indicate good news." Gaius observed, noting the slump of her shoulders and serous expression.

"I must return to the Isle of the Blessed. I have to save her."

"Emerlyn, you cannot." She met his eyes, determination shining brightly in her blue depths.

"I have to. Nimueh will have to take my life and the balance will be kept." Emerlyn muttered and began to stand, her momentum stopped by Gaius's hand on her wrist.

"You are young. Your gifts, your destiny are far too precious to sacrifice."

"My destiny? This is my mother! I cannot sit idly by while she dies because of me, Gaius! My powers mean nothing if I cannot save her." Gaius gave a sigh, knowing she would not be swayed.

"You have taught me so much, taught me who I am, taught me that magic should be used for great deeds, but most of all you have always taught me to do what is right." She said, tears filling her eyes as she looked at her guardian.

"Emerlyn." She wiped her eyes.

"I need to say goodbye to Arthur." Heart heavy, she stood and left, knowing this was really the end. Before it'd always been a maybe, but not this time. No, now she was surely going to die.

/*/

Arthur looked up as his door opened, relief overwhelming him at the sight of Emerlyn. Whatever she'd done to save him had apparently not cost what she'd believed it would, which Arthur was extremely thankful for.

Uncertain how to act around the girl he fancied now that he knew her secret, he fell back on his old habits.

"Ah. Emerlyn. Was wondering when you'd come around to do your chores." The witch's lips didn't even twitch as she closed the door, leaning heavily against it.

"How are you feeling?" She asked, taking note that the fever had broken. He seemed well enough, apart from his wounded shoulder.

"Good. I certainly don't feel like death anymore." Arthur replied, looking away from her so he didn't blurt out that he remembered her words, as she clearly thought he didn't.

"I'm pleased, as you do not make for an attractive patient." Her words held only a little of her usual humor, which worried him. Why was she still so somber?

"Yes. I owe it all to Gaius." He didn't miss the eye roll, now that he was looking for it. Just how many times had she saved his life and not taken credit for it?

"Yes, Gaius is a miracle worker." Emerlyn murmured before leaving the doors to approach the now seated prince.

"I need to speak with you."

"I thought we were speaking." Arthur replied, quirking a brow at her. The girl gave a small huff before she knelt down next to his chair, needing to be as close as possible.

"I'm being serious, Arthur. I…my mother—" She had to stop to take a calming breath, unsettled by the way he seemed to be looking through her to her very soul.

"My mother is gravely ill and I must find a way to save her. I know you don't understand, but this is something I have to do." She reached out and squeezed his knee, hoping he'd realize just how serious this was.

"What're you talking about?" The fear that had subsided from earlier came back with a vengeance, almost choking him. There was simply no way Hunith's sudden illness was a coincidence. No, she'd been sacrificed instead of Emerlyn to save his life.

"I can't explain it. I just wanted to see you before I left, in case anything was to happen." The last part came out a whisper. Arthur sat his goblet on the table before taking her hand.

"You sound like you're saying goodbye. Are you trying to leave your job?" He knew otherwise, but he needed to say _something_. He was rewarded with a small laugh.

"No. I'm happy to be your servant till the day I die." Gut clenching at her words, Arthur pulled on her hand until she leaned forward so he could capture her lips.

The kiss was filled with so much emotion, Emerlyn thought she'd be consumed by it. Trying to be mindful of his injured shoulder, the witch clutched onto him as stars exploded behind her closed eyelids. But no matter how much she'd love to get lost in him, her mother's life hung in the balance and she could not allow herself to be sidetracked.

Pulling away, Arthur's fingers stroked her cheek as he gazed into her eyes, seemingly to actually see her for the first time. She was absolutely breathtaking. Not only in her beauty, but also because of her willingness to sacrifice her very life for others. For him.

"You'll be a great king one day, Arthur. I have no doubt. But you must learn to listen and not rule only with your sword." She whispered, giving him a small smile as she pulled away.

"Any other pointers?" He asked, merely to fill the air, to try and keep his emotions from bursting out. He didn't want to let her leave his sight, especially when she was clearly saying goodbye.

"No. Just…don't be a prat." She replied, making him smile despite how tight his chest felt.

The couple exchanged another long look before Emerlyn left, afraid she'd dissolve into tears if she stayed a moment longer. And she was really tired of crying so much.

/*/

She rushed up to the altar courtyard, Nimueh's chanting growing louder the closer she got. When she saw Gaius slumped against the stone, Emerlyn swore her heart stopped.

"Stop!" She shouted, drawing the priestess's attention.

"Back again so soon, witch?"

"What have you done?" She demanded as she walked towards Nimueh.

"Your mother is safe. Isn't that what you wanted?" Nimueh asked as she slowly sauntered closer.

"Have you killed him?"

"It was his wish." The anger she felt at Kilgharrah seemed petty compared to the volcano that suddenly erupted inside of her.

"I bid my life for Arthur's, not my mother's, not Gaius." Emerlyn yelled.

"The Old Religion does not care who lives and who dies. Only that the balance of the world is restored." Nimueh retorted, her voice filled with power.

"It is not the Old Religion that has done this. It is you! You chose my mother to sacrifice!" She got that sly look again, sending a smirk the witch's way.

"Come now. We are too valuable to each other to be enemies."

"You mean nothing to me, Nimueh! I share nothing with you. You are twisted and bitter; you are nothing but evil." Emerlyn retorted angrily.

"With my help Arthur will become King."

"No, I will make Arthur King. But you will never see that day." She threw out a stream of fire, which was blocked, much to her annoyance.

"Your childish tricks are useless against me, Emerlyn. I am a Priestess of the Old Religion." Nimueh said and sent the fire back at her, making Emerlyn have to duck out of the way. The fireball connected with the castle wall, sending stone flying everywhere.

"You too are a creature of the Old Religion. You should join me." Emerlyn stood to glare at the woman who held another fireball in her hand.

"You think I would join forces with such as selfish cruel magic? Never."

"So be it." The flame caught Emerlyn in the chest, sending her flying back to land heavily on the ground, groaning in pain.

"Pity. Together we could have ruled the world." Emerlyn felt all her rage come crashing down on her, filling her with the strength to stand even as her chest still smoked.

This was the woman responsible for killing Gaius; for poisoning her; for releasing the plague on Camelot; for Arthur almost dying. Nimueh was the one person who deserved all her anger and Emerlyn couldn't stop the hate form consuming her.

"You should not have killed my friend." Nimueh turned at her words, surprised she'd recovered so quickly. She looked up when the skies suddenly became rolling thunder clouds, lightening streaking the sky.

As if she was an observer to the entire scene, Emerlyn watched as her hand guided the lightening down until it connected with Nimueh. The priestess shrieked as the bolds struck her before she literally exploded.

Emerlyn rushed to Gaius's side, not even bothering to stop the rain as it began to pour. She couldn't think of it, or the fact that she'd just murdered someone; all that mattered in that moment was her guardian.

"Gaius. Gaius." She said, shaking him a little. But the old man gave no movement, no sign of life, making her burst into tears as she clutched him to her in the rain. She couldn't believe he was actually gone.

"Emerlyn…Emerlyn." If her ear hadn't been so close, there was no way she would have heard him. Lifting her head, she was shocked to see his eyes fluttering.

"Gaius! Gaius, you're alive!" She exclaimed, giving the physician a tight hug in relief.

"What did you do?" His words were slurred, as if he'd had one too many ales.

"I don't know. I…Nimueh's dead." She replied, still too astonished to think clearly.

"I…the balance of the world must have been restored." She concluded after a few minutes.

"You amaze me. You have mastered the power of life and death itself. But we'll make a great witch out of you, yet." Gaius gave a small chuckle.

"So you believe in me now?" She questioned jokingly.

"Well, I would if you could stop this blasted rain." They shared a chuckle, both overcome with relief they'd both survived.

"I'll try." She replied once she stopped laughing, staring up at the dark sky. Not that she was emotionally spent, it was a little more difficult, but she eventually cleared the sky back to its former brightness.

"We should return to Camelot soon." Gaius said, although he didn't make a move to get up, still trying to regain his strength.

"Yeah. In a little while." Emerlyn said, leaning aback against the altar.

They did need to return, but not for a little while yet. She just wanted to enjoy her time with her resurrected guardian a little while longer. The real world would be calling them back quick enough already.

**AN: Okay, I know it wasn't as good as some of the other chapters, but pleases review and let me know what you think anyways. Thanks!**


	12. Chapter 12

**AN: This chapter goes completely AU from the show. It takes place right after season 1 and before season 2. This is the idea that got me to write the story in the first place, so I really hope you all like where I'm going. **

Hunter Hatake and Neko Uchiha: Thanks for the review. I'm so happy you liked the last chapter. I hope you also enjoy this one and let me know what you think.

Guest: I'm glad you liked the last chapter. I hope you'll like this one as well.

Heart of books: Thanks so much! I'm so glad you like my story so much. I know the Fem!Merlin stories can get stale, so I'm thrilled you enjoy mine so much. I hope you like this chapter and will let me know what you think. Thanks again!

Michael: I'm glad you like it! I hope you'll like this chapter too and let me know! Thanks!

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Merlin.**

Chapter 12: The Fork in the Road

"Emerlyn, what is wrong with you? I've been calling you for ages?" Arthur said in exacerbation, watching as his maidservant jumped at his raised voice. He didn't know how to act around her, to be honest, but he also didn't like being ignored.

"Sorry, sire. I just…I've been distracted lately. My mother hasn't fully recovered yet, and I'm just worried." She lied, giving him a small, strained smile as she finished making up his bed.

Since the night she'd killed Nimueh, she'd been haunted every night in her dreams about what she'd done. About how she'd killed Nimueh out of anger. It was the first time she'd ever killed anyone in anything other than self-defense or to protect others. She'd allowed her hurt and anger to get the best of her, and Nimueh had paid the price.

Not that she wasn't thrilled that Gaius had been brought back to life to keep the balance of life intact, because she was. She knew that she wouldn't be able to make it through her everyday life of saving Arthur's life and trying to remain undetected without her guardian's advice and counsel. But she still hated that's she'd _murdered_ another person; killed a fellow magic user.

"I thought you said she was healing nicely?" Arthur questioned, mind calling back the conversation they'd had after she'd returned from wherever it was she'd gone after they'd said goodbye. He'd never been happier to see anyone as he was when she'd walked through his chamber door, alive and well.

"I, uh, it's gotten worse. Gaius isn't sure if she can recover." Emerlyn thought quickly, wondering why she'd even started this lie to begin with. But he'd caught her off guard and it was the first thing that'd popped into her head.

"I'm sorry." Arthur said, meaning it. He knew he'd be devastated if anything were to happen to his father, so he could understand how pained she must be. He walked over to where she stood next to the bed and stroked a hand over her braid before pulling her into his arms, letting her rest her head against his shoulder.

Emerlyn felt awful for lying to him, again, but knew she couldn't tell him the real reason why she was elsewhere mentally. She sighed against his shoulder, enjoying the way his arms wrapped around her securely even as she tried to come up with something else to say.

"Maybe you should spend some time with her." She looked up at him, noting how tense he was. She'd actually begun to notice how tense he was ever since she'd returned from the Isle of the Blessed. She'd catch him watching her at the strangest times, as if he was waiting for her to do something.

She'd fear that he'd actually heard her revelation, but she knew that he would have exposed her already if that was the case. They might have _something_ going on, but he was still the Prince and was meant to uphold the laws of the land, the main one being exposing magic.

"Hmm, maybe."

She pulled away with a slight smile before turning back to his bed, fluffing up the pillows. Her mind was racing, his suggestion actually sounding very appealing. Not just the spending time with her mother, but getting away from Camelot for a while. Getting space to clear her head.

The two lapsed into silence as Arthur moved back to his desk, where the latest reports from the northern border waited for his perusal. His eyes would lift and land on her slender form every few seconds, unable to help himself from watching her. He was just still so confused! How could she be a witch? How could _Emerlyn_ of all people use magic? None of it made any sense.

"You know Arthur, I think you're right. I should take my mother home, see that she gets well. It'll be good, some space." Her voice finally broke the silence, drawing his attention once more. Emerlyn was standing next to the table, his used dishes piled in front of her.

"You want to leave Camelot?" Arthur asked in alarm, hating that they always seemed to be having these conversations. Why was Emerlyn always leaving?

"Yes, but only for a little while. She's my mother, Arthur, and I should take care of her." Emerlyn said, not really sure why she was pushing the issue. Hunith was almost completely healed already, but she just had the sudden desire to be anywhere but Camelot.

"But…but wouldn't she have better access to care here?" He asked, brow furrowing as he tried to understand what was really happening.

Now that he knew her secret, he was trying to see an underlying reason for her departure. As he'd been doing to all her past actions since he'd learned; which had revealed an array of possibilities that his ego did not take very well.

"I—I think being back home would do her good. She'd feel more at ease, I think." Emerlyn replied, giving a small smile as she tried to think through her lie.

"How long would you be gone?" Arthur questioned, glaring down at the parchment in his hand. She came to lean against the desk next to him, so her side brushed his.

"Maybe a couple of months. Just to get her well and make sure she's can go back to work. The village will need my help with her unable to work." He sighed, dropping the parchment in favor of pulling her across the desk so she was in front of him. Emerlyn ran her hands through his golden locks.

"If it is what you must do, then there is little I can say." Arthur said finally, glancing up at her. The witch leaned down to press their lips together, trying to pour every ounce of her feelings into it.

"Thank you, Arthur. I promise I'll be back. And I think it'll be good for us." She murmured against his lips before pulling away. He gave her a confused look.

"For us?"

"Yeah, for us. A little time and space might be needed to make sure what we're…feeling is true. I don't want to think that our feelings might be a result of circumstance, what with us being together all the time; so we can both use this time as one for reflection. If…if we still feel like this when I get back, then we'll know that it's real and not just a result of our situation." She said quietly, stroking his cheek before sliding away.

"You think my feelings aren't real?" He asked, hurt. Emerlyn gave a small shrug.

"I don't know, Arthur. And I'm not entirely sure you do either. We admitted we felt something when we thought we'd never see each other again. And every time we circle back to it it's because we're in another life and death situation. I just want to be positive that what I feel for you, and you for me, is true. I couldn't bear to fall for you any harder, only to wake up one day and realize it was all just circumstances."

"You have very little faith in our ability to understand ourselves, Emerlyn." His sullen response made her smile as she gathered his dishes.

"The time apart will be good, Arthur. Once I come back we'll know for sure just how we feel and there won't be any confusion. I'll get a servant assigned to you immediately." She gave a small curtsey before leaving, headed towards the kitchen to dispose of his dishes.

Arthur sighed as he watched her leave, not sure if he should really try to fight her departure or not. He was pretty certain about how he felt about the clumsy girl, but then again, he was always around her.

So maybe space would clear up any lingering doubts he might have. And it would definitely help him to come to terms with her secret and his decision not to tell his father. Yes, time apart might be just what they needed.

/*/

Emerlyn glanced around her room, making sure she'd grabbed everything she was going to take. She'd made sure to pack up all her magic related items, just in case something happened while she was gone. She didn't want the guards to search Gaius's chambers and find her things and blame him of using magic. That would definitely not be a good day for either of them.

Seeing that she had indeed grabbed what she was going to take, Emerlyn made her way from her room and moved over to where her mother was sitting, waiting.

"I still do not like lying to the prince, Emerlyn." Hunith said when her daughter reached her side.

"I know, I don't either. But I feel like I need to get away for a little while, like I _have_ to get away. And I couldn't tell him the truth, so this was the first thing that came to mind. I'm sorry." She shrugged, knowing her mother despised lying unless it was to protect her secret.

"Well we'd best get going if we want to make good time before it gets dark." Hunith said, standing.

She slumped her shoulders and took the long cloth covered staff from Emerlyn, hiding it in the folds of the large cloak she wore. If Emerlyn didn't know she was completely fine, she would have been fooled into thinking Hunith wasn't feeling well.

"Take care, the both of you." Gaius said, giving each woman a hug as they started out.

"We'll be careful, Gaius, I promise. I'll be back a couple of months." Emerlyn reassured, sending the physician a smile. She could see he was going to miss her, even if he didn't say such a thing. She'd miss him too.

The two women made their way towards the courtyard, where Emerlyn spotted Gwen and Morgana standing next to Arthur, all three of them with tight expressions, trying not to show their pain. Besides Gwen, it wasn't appropriate for such high class individuals to actually miss a servant. Emerlyn was just glad to see each of them once more before she left.

"Oh Em, are you sure you must go?" Gwen asked when she reached them, throwing her arms around her friend as best she could with her back pack on. The witch gave her a tight squeeze.

"My mother needs me, Gwen. But I'll be back before you even realize I'm gone." She smiled brightly, fighting down the denial within herself that cried for her not to leave. Not to abandon her friends and Arthur. But the larger part of her mind was telling her going was the best thing for everyone. Besides, it wasn't like she'd be gone forever.

"We'll miss you around here, Emerlyn. It won't be the same without you." Morgana said with a sad smile, giving the other raven haired beauty a hug. She'd grown very fond of the clumsy servant and knew the city would be less lively without her. Plus, Morgana knew Arthur would not take her leaving lightly. Which meant he'd most likely turn into a sullen child once more.

"I'll miss you all as well." Emerlyn replied.

The two women parted, Emerlyn turning to look at the prince. She tugged at her bottom lip, not really sure how to act. The others glanced around before moving quietly over to where the horses were waiting, wanting to give master and servant some space.

"You've got enough provisions for the journey?" Arthur finally asked, arms crossed over his chest as he glared at the wall behind her. She sighed and nodded, knowing he did not do well with emotional episodes, no matter how much he might care for her. He was Arthur after all.

"Yes, Gaius made sure we had plenty. It shouldn't take us more than two days to reach Ealdor, so we don't need much." She said quietly, feet shuffling as she moved a little closer to him.

"And you mother has enough medication?" He murmured, titling a little to the side so that his shoulder brushed lightly against hers.

"Of course. We're all set." Her throat tightened at the admission, the war still being waged in her stomach. She didn't want to leave him, but knew that it was necessary. All she could hope was that nothing major or magical attacked while she was away.

"Good. Good. I'll, uh, I'll walk you to the road." Her eyes met his before she gave a slight nod and walked over to her horse. She quickly attached her bag to the saddle before grabbing its reins.

"Be careful!" Gwen said, rushing over to give her another hug.

"I will be, promise." She said, waving at Morgana before steering the mount towards the lower town.

The lady and maidservant waved to her and Hunith, both sharing a knowing look when Arthur fell into step next Emerlyn. Oh yeah, the next couple of months were definitely not going to be easy.

When they crossed the gate, Hunith led her horse ahead, knowing Emerlyn and Arthur would want a moment to themselves, away from the prying eyes of everyone. She could see the emotions she'd seen before had deepened and knew a separation was not going to be easy on either of them. She just hoped Emerlyn knew what she was doing.

"You're sure you must go?" Arthur asked quietly as they trailed after Hunith. They'd passed beyond the sight of the guards, so he linked their hands, relishing in the feeling of her skin against his.

"Yes. But it's not forever. Besides, you're always complaining about my work ethic. Maybe you'll find a servant who is actually competent, heh?" She smiled up at him, trying to make light of the heavy mood. He rolled his eyes at her before tugging her into him, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and forcing her to stop.

"If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to send word. I'll send help immediately." Emerlyn wrapped her arms around him, letting the reins slip from her fingers so she could hold him close. Luckily the mount was not a wild horse, so it merely stood there, waiting for its rider to saddle up.

"I'll miss you too." She replied, lips grazing his throat as she rested her head against his shoulder.

Arthur's eyes slid closed as he held her, breathing her scent deeply into his lungs so he wouldn't forget how amazing she always smelled. He knew his father would be appalled at his reaction to her departure, but at that moment, Arthur didn't care what the King would approve of or not. Emerlyn was leaving and he didn't know when he'd see her again.

"Don't get into too much trouble while I'm away, Arthur. I won't be here to save you." She murmured, smiling when it earned the desired scoff.

"Like you're that useful to begin with." He retorted, even while his mind flashed back to her revelation and the fact that she did indeed save his life more than he knew. The witch just grinned up at him before pulling his face down to hers, pouring every ounce of emotion into the kiss.

Unlike other kisses, this one wasn't heated or rushed. It was slow and so heavy with feeling that Arthur thought he'd be swallowed whole by it. It was a kiss of farewell and never spoken sentiment, as neither were certain if they'd ever get another.

Pulling away, Arthur reached into a pocket and pulled out a medium sized money pouch. Emerlyn gave him a confused look when he pressed it into her hand.

"Arthur, I've already been paid for this week." She said, brow furrowing when he refused to let her hand it back.

"This is for emergencies. Just in case."

"Arthur—"

"No, take it. I remember what it's like in your village, remember. I don't want you to suffer because your mother has fallen ill." He insisted. Emerlyn felt her guilt surge through her, almost crimpling her. She'd never expected Arthur to be so…nice about this.

"Really—"

"I won't take it back, so unless you want someone else to find it on the ground, you'd better put it somewhere safe." Arthur said, arms crossing over his chest so she couldn't shove it back into his hand. The witch bit her lip and finally gave a nod, not knowing what to say.

"Emerlyn." Hunith called out, hating she had to break up their moment. But they really needed to get going if they wanted to make a decent distance before nightfall. Emerlyn glanced back at her mother and gave a nod before turning back to the prince.

"I-I'll be seeing you, then." She said.

Arthur felt his chest tighten as he pulled her into another embrace, not wanting to let her go, no matter how much he himself might need time away. Time to think and come to terms with her secret. With the fact that he was keeping a witch hidden from his father; from the King.

The couple finally broke apart and Arthur helped her up into the saddle, waiting until she was settled before releasing her leg. The two shared another long look before she gave a sad smile and nudged the horse with her heels.

She caught up with her mother, glancing back a couple of times as they continued down the road, watching as Arthur continued to get smaller until they crested the hill and she could see him no longer.

"Are you sure about this, Emerlyn? You don't have to come home. I know your life is here now." Hunith said, spotting the tears her daughter was trying to fight down.

"It's fine. I need to get away. It'll be good. It will." Emerlyn muttered, sounding like she was trying to reassure herself more than Hunith.

The older woman just let it be, knowing her daughter was too stubborn to be swayed. And maybe she was right, maybe the two needed some space to figure things out. She just hoped that Emerlyn was able to find happiness, rather that was with Arthur Pendragon or not.

/*/

The two finally made camp when it became too dark to continue on, moving into the trees so that they were not sitting ducks for bandits or thieves. They quickly set up camp, Emerlyn pulling out the Sidhe staff to have at the ready in case they were attacked, as she could shoot lighting at them and also club them with it.

Hunith pulled out some of the fruit and bread Gaius had given them, watching as the young woman flittered around the area, restless. It was obvious her mind was elsewhere, and it didn't take much contemplation on her part to figure out what had her daughter's attention. She wondered if Arthur would ever be far from her thoughts while they were separated.

"Come eat something, Emerlyn. You need to keep up your strength." The witch turned at her mother's voice. She sighed before moving over to the overturned log, sitting next to Hunith and taking the offered apple.

"So we should arrive in Ealdor by midafternoon tomorrow." Hunith said to fill the air as Emerlyn just sat there.

"Yeah." She said in agreement, making her mother roll her eyes.

"Emerlyn, really. It was your decision to leave, and as you've refused to go back this entire day, you need to come to peace with that choice. You must desist this brooding melancholy." Hunith said in exasperation.

The raven haired girl looked up at her mother in astonishment, not having expected that. But she should have, since Hunith did not put up with nonsense for long.

"You're right. I'm sorry. I just…it hurts more than I expected to be away from Camelot. It's the first time we've been separated for real. Every other time, one of us thought we were going to die or something of that nature. It's just…painful." She finally got out, shoulders slumped. Hunith sighed and wrapped an arm around her, squeezing her tightly for a moment.

"I know, darling. But you've chosen this path, and now you must walk it. I'm certain your friends are all going to miss you, and you them."

Emerlyn laid her head on her mother's shoulder, letting herself be held for a little while. It was nice to let go and not have to worry about being discovered every second of the day, even if her heart clenched in pain at the thought of Arthur.

"What shall you do in Ealdor?" Hunith asked after a few minutes, both their gazes locked on the fire.

"I dunno. I actually have been thinking about papa and maybe seeing if he's returned."

"Hmm. I think the village will survive a few more days without me. Your father would be delighted to see you." She smiled, also longing to see Balinor. It'd been several months since she'd last seen him and she missed him; especially now that Emerlyn no longer lived with her. It would be very nice to see her love again.

"Good. I hate that you two can't be together. Why don't you live with him, now that I'm gone?" Emerlyn questioned, lifting her head to arch a brow at her mother.

"You know he's constantly coming and going, trading and such. Plus, I want you to be able to reach me if you ever need to get in contact with me."

"But it's not fair to you; to be separated from him." Her voice broke over the sentence, her own pain lancing her heart.

"It's alright, Emerlyn. We still see each other frequently when he's around. We can't afford to let Uther become aware of his existence, you know that." Emerlyn gave a slight nod, bringing the apple up to munch on.

"You've never told me why Uther wants him dead." Hunith tensed next to her, alerting the girl that she was once more about to be refused a straight answer.

"It's complicated, Emerlyn. And dangerous. It's better for everyone if no one knows about him." Hunith said before standing to feed the horses. Emerlyn just sighed, knowing she'd get no more out of her mother. Woman could be ridiculously stubborn sometimes.

/*/

The two reached the cave her father lived in the next evening, reassured of his presence by the flickering light coming from its depths. Tying off their horses in reach of food and water, they grabbed their belongings and carefully made their way over the dangerous rocks until they reached the mouth of the cave.

"Balinor!" Hunith called out, staying slightly behind Emerlyn in case it wasn't who they expected. There was the sound of movement before the light came towards them, slowly revealing the scruffy face of Balinor.

"Hunith! Emerlyn! What're you doing here?" He questioned with a smile, setting the torch down so he could wrap each of them in an arm. Emerlyn clutched him to her, her eyes once more filling, overcome with all her pent up emotions.

"We thought we'd come for a visit." Hunith said, leaning up to give him a light kiss before backing away, letting him wrap his other arm around Emerlyn. Hunith grabbed their dropped bags and moved further into the cave, letting them have their moment.

"Papa, I've missed you." Emerlyn said against his chest, face buried against his tunic has she tried not to cry. She'd turned into such a girl!

"And I you, my gem." Balinor replied, holding her close. He felt her body begin to shake and the tell-tell wetness on his shirt, revealing that she was indeed crying.

"What's the matter, petal?" Emerlyn shook her head, throat closing over the lump that'd suddenly formed.

Her father continued to hold her, running a hand up and down her back with the other settled over her braided hair. It took several minutes before Emerlyn was able to will herself to step away, brushing at her face to rid herself of the damn tears.

"Sorry. It's been a long day." She tried to ease the mood, but her father just arched a brow, clearly not believing everything was alright.

"Emerlyn, you know you can tell me what's wrong." He said as they started into the cave, where Hunith had already gotten situated.

"It's nothing, papa. I promise." She gave a smile and went to her designated cot, wanting to just forget the last couple of days for a while. Her parents watched as she slid under the covers, sharing a concerned look when she turned her back on them.

Balinor turned a questioning look at Hunith, who put a finger to her lips and motioned to Emerlyn, signaling they'd talk when she was indeed asleep. They were lucky they'd been using such signals for so long, or else he'd have no idea what she meant.

/*/

_Emerlyn glanced around the stone circle, wondering where Nimueh had gone. She'd just been about to blast her when she'd suddenly disappeared, leaving the young witch alone next to the altar. _

_Turning at the sudden sense of another presence, Emerlyn came face-to-face with a beautiful, ethereal woman. She was clothed in a stark white gown that exposed her stomach and arms which were covered in spiraling tattoos, much to Emerlyn's shock. Her face was so breathtaking it was almost painful to look at._

"_Hello, Emrys. I've been waiting for you." And of course her voice would match her looks, washing over the witch like a cool spring._

"_Uh, hello. How—how do you know me?" Emerlyn asked, edging away from the woman. _

"_I know everything there is to know about you, Emrys. My name is Rhiannon and I'm here to help you fulfill your destiny."_

"_Look, I don't know who you are, or how you know me. But I know my destiny and I've got plenty of help. So you can just leave me be." The witch replied, glancing around in search of escape. But the courtyard had filled with a mist so that the only thing she could see clearly was the strange woman in front of her._

"_Don't be alarmed, Emrys. I mean you no harm, truly. But your path has already been changed and you will not fulfill your destiny on the course you're presently on."_

"_How would you know?"_

"_I told you, I know many things. Come back to the place where everything changed. All will make sense in time." She said before beginning to vanish. _

"_Wait, what?" But she was gone, leaving Emerlyn once more alone. _

_Frowning, she twirled around, but there was no one there. She glared at the empty space, hating riddles. Why couldn't anyone just speak straight with her?_

/*/

Emerlyn slowly came awake, the fog clearing from her mind. She sat up, shocked to see light coming in from the mouth of the cave. She'd apparently slept a lot longer then she'd expected.

"Good morning, sweetheart." Hunith said when Emerlyn managed to move out of her cot and came to sit at the table. It was one of the things Balinor had acquired over the years, wanting to have a more hospitable environment for when his girls came to visit.

"Uhg, my head is killing me. How long did I sleep?" She asked, rubbing at her throbbing temples.

"The night and most of the morning. It's already early afternoon." Balinor supplied as he sat a bowl of soup down in front of her.

"Wow." She muttered, shocked she'd slept so long. She guessed her body had just needed to recharge from the toll of the last couple of weeks, as she'd been going nonstop.

"Your head will stop hurting after you eat." Hunith said, pointing to the spoon. Emerlyn gave a smile, silently enjoying the way her parents seemed to revert back to their 'parental' roles.

Hunith and Balinor sat drinking their tea, watching their only daughter begin eating, both relieved to see color back in her cheeks. They'd had a long discussion the night before, where Hunith had revealed what had caused Emerlyn's breakdown.

Balinor had come to the realization that his little petal was growing into an independent, strong woman. He was sad to let her go, but knew that she had to; that she had great importance in the world and he could not hold her back. Even if that meant he had to lose her to Arthur, son of his enemy.

"So how long do you plan to stay, Emerlyn? I don't imagine village life is going to keep you entertained after living in Camelot." Balinor said, bringing her back to reality.

"Um…I dunno. I—I have this feeling…well I had a dream really…uh—" Emerlyn cut herself off, knowing she sounded crazy.

"A dream about what?" Hunith asked lightly. Emerlyn sighed and sat her spoon down, looking at both her parents.

"I had a dream telling me to go back to the Isle of the Blessed and—"

"You've been to the Isle of the Blessed?" Balinor asked in alarm, eyes wide in shock. Hunith glanced between them, not knowing the importance or dangers that the island posed.

"Yeah, I had to, to save Arthur. And some things happened there, things I can't move past. In my dream, I was told to return there, and I can't decide if I should. I mean, it could be trap, right?" The two adults shared a look.

"Did the dream feel threatening?" Balinor asked, taking the reins since Hunith didn't really know anything about magic. And even though they refused to speak of the exact reasons, they all knew that Balinor had magic or had used to practice it before the purge.

"No, but it could still be a trap."

"It could, but maybe you're meant to return to the island. If whatever happened there is haunting you, as you say, then going back there might be what you need to do to come to terms with it." He continued. Emerlyn leaned back in her chair, thinking about his words.

"Maybe you're right. I mean, I've faced countless beasts, so it shouldn't be that dangerous. Right?" She voiced, making her mother's eyes widen.

"Beasts?" At the high pitch of her voice, Emerlyn gave a small cringe.

"It's fine, mother. See, I'm still alive and well. Nothing to fear." She hurried to reassure, not wanting to worry her mother. She'd never actually revealed all the adventures she'd been on in the last year and didn't want to start now.

"I think you should go, Emerlyn. You need to face your fears and return to Camelot, where you're meant to be." Balinor said, also not wanting to give Hunith time to begin worrying. Not that she hadn't been since the day Emerlyn had left, as was her job as a mother.

"I guess. I'll…I'll head out in a day or two." Emerlyn finally agreed, the pressure in her mind easing a little.

"Good, now who wants to go hunting?" Balinor asked with a grin, making the two women roll their eyes. Some things never changed.

**AN: Okay, so what do you think? Please review and let me know! Thanks!**


	13. Chapter 13

**AN: Please visit my photobucket (Courtney_Giles) to see get a clear image of how I see the island and what Rhiannon looks like. Link is on my profile.**

Guest: I'm so happy you had a good holiday and liked my last two chapters. The story is definitely about to take a new twist, even though I'll be sticking to canon a lot for the underlying plot, as always. I hope you like this chapter too and let me know! Thanks again.

Iris: lol, I'm sorry (not really) that I made you cry. :P I'm glad you liked the chapter so much. I hope you like this one as much as chapter nine. Let me know.

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Merlin.**

Chapter 13: A Change in Destiny

It took almost a week until she reached the Isle of the Blessed, having stayed with her parents for a few days before setting out on her journey. She'd luckily not run into any trouble on the long trek, having successfully avoided two bandit groups and a knight patrol. So she arrived at her destination tired, but unscathed.

Jumping off the horse, Emerlyn quickly unsaddled it so the animal could wander freely, since she didn't know how long she'd be on the island. Struggling with keeping ahold of everything, she made it go weightless so she could more easily manage it, slinging the saddle over her shoulder while keeping the bags and staff grasped in her hands.

Emerlyn climbed into the empty boat and sent it towards the mystical island, keeping the staff in hand just in case the woman from her dreams was waiting and an enemy. It'd be just her luck to have someone out to kill her even without Arthur there. And she was still uneasy about the woman actually appearing in her dream, no matter if she was thankful her presence had interrupted yet another night terror.

As the island came into view, Emerlyn thought back to what the woman had said; to come back to the place that changed everything. This was where she had passed a line she'd never thought she would or would need to. She'd murdered someone in anger and despair; no matter how evil Nimueh had been, Emerlyn was still having a problem reconciling the incident in her mind and heart.

No longer was it a question if she was actually capable of killing another human, another magic user, without it being in self-defense. But she had also taken Nimueh's power of having dominion over life and death. So what exactly did that mean for her future? Emerlyn hoped she'd find answers here, where it'd all changed.

Once she reached the shore, she felt the strange pull she had after she'd awoken the morning after the dream, leading her up through the ruined village and through the castle until she was once more in the altar courtyard. Her chest tightened painfully when she saw the scorch marked grass where Nimueh had literally exploded before her eyes.

"I was beginning to think you were not going to come." Emerlyn twirled around at the voice, coming to face the very same woman from her dream. Until that moment, she'd had the nagging doubt that she'd imagined it all.

"Y-you're real." The woman gave out a chiming laugh and walked forward until she stood next to the altar, which she leaned against.

"I am very real, Emrys."

"My name is Emerlyn." She said, edging around to keep the stranger in her sights.

"Of course, my mistake. I did not realize you do not embrace your true name yet. As I told you before, my name is Rhiannon and I'm here to…change your course, so to speak."

Emerlyn watched her, astonished she was actually in front of her. She was more beautiful than in her dream, her skin so pale it looked almost transparent and her eyes a startling silver. And as she continued to watch her, strange tattoos seemed to come and go from her skin, changing in design on every reappearance.

"I still do not know who you are or why I should trust what you say is true." Emerlyn said, slowly setting the bags down so she could clutch the staff more securely.

"You have nothing to fear from me, Emerlyn. I wish you no harm, and would appreciate the same in return. It is pointless for you to think you can harm me anyhow, as you cannot. I've come here to help you get back on track in fulfilling your destiny." Rhiannon said as she leaned against the altar, arms crossing over her chest as she watched the young witch.

"What are you talking about? I know what my destiny is and am working towards achieving it."

"Ah Emerlyn, your destiny has already been changed, almost beyond repair. The glorious days of Albion are all but lost already." Emerlyn kept a firm grip on the staff, keeping her body tense to be ready for an attack at any moment, despite the stranger's reassurances.

"What do you mean?"

"The action that has had such a profound effect on yours and the young prince's destiny is the rescue of a small druid boy." Rhiannon murmured.

"You mean Mordred?" She asked in alarm.

"Yes, I do. Come, we have much to discuss and I would prefer to do so in a more comfortable setting." Before Emerlyn could even try to refuse, Rhiannon was already moving towards the castle, her white gown sweeping majestically. Sighing, Emerlyn grabbed up her bags and followed.

Rhiannon led her into what once was the Great Hall, the large room covered in so much grime Emerlyn didn't even want to be in it.

"You have much to learn, Emerlyn. The future the prophecies speak of, if we can get it back to rights, is fast approaching. Far quicker than many believe." Emerlyn was so bewildered. Just who was this woman and what did she know of the future?

As she watched, Rhiannon began spinning her hands until all the dirt and grime covering the room was spinning in a small tornado that she pushed out a window. The result was a Great Hall that, while still looking sad and depleted, was sparkling clean.

"Let's sit; this conversation may take a little while to fully explain." Emerlyn sighed as she sat down, too confused to refuse. Besides, if Rhiannon wanted to hurt her despite her claims, she'd had plenty of opportunities to so, so she felt she was safe.

"You said saving Mordred has ruined my destiny?"

"Yes, Emerlyn. The day Mordred was allowed to escape back to the druids is the day that cemented the future."

"Is this because he's supposed to kill Arthur?" Rhiannon did not miss the note of doubt in the young witch's voice.

"Yes, Emerlyn, Mordred _will_ kill Arthur. There's no doubt about it; I've _seen _it. He dies in your arms in only a few short years by the hand of Mordred."

"W-what? Are you a seer? How can you be certain?" Her voice shook as she was consumed with fear. How could letting one small boy go free spell their doom?

"No, I'm not a seer. I'm not of this world. I've been, am, and will be. I've seen the destruction that lies in your future; destruction that will completely eradicate Albion."

"But he's just a boy."

"And boys grow up to be men! Do not think for a moment that he doesn't know who you are or what _he_ will become. Mordred will make an alliance so strong with Morgan le Fay that it will be the end of your destiny."

"What? Morgan le Fay?"

"You know her as Morgana."

"No! You're wrong! Morgana is one of the nicest people I know! She would never let anyone kill Arthur." Emerlyn denied passionately.

"Maybe not at this moment, but in time she will be out for his blood herself. You do not see the hate that has started to fill her heart for Uther Pendragon. If left as is, Morgana will stop at nothing until both Pendragons are dead. She will gladly join Mordred in his quest to destroy Camelot. And in doing so, the world itself will be ruined." Rhiannon replied, deadly serious.

"But…what? Morgana is my friend; I don't see how she could turn on Arthur like that. He's like her brother." The timeless woman had to bite back a snicker at that, knowing that was once piece of information Emerlyn would need to discover on her own.

"She is also human, Emerlyn, and capable of being corrupted. By allowing Mordred the time to grow into a man, you have sown the seeds of Camelot's destruction and as a result, magic is never brought back into the land. I've been to the future, Emerlyn, and the world is on the verge of utter destruction."

"What do you mean?" She asked in confusion, her head beginning to pound as she tried to understand everything the mysterious woman was saying.

"I mean the magic that binds the earth itself is almost completely gone in a couple thousand years. The forests have all but been destroyed, the waters polluted; there are very few practitioners or even believers of magic left. The humans' disregard for the earth and their technologies are quickly going to cause a vast temperature shift that is going to cause massive weather changes that will lead to an apocalyptic world. This is why I have come to you, Emerlyn."

"I am so confused. So by letting Mordred go, I've destroyed my destiny, effectively murdered Arthur, and the world itself is going to implode?" She asked, eyes wide with fright and disbelief.

"Essentially. I know it's alarming, but all is not lost just yet. I normally do not get involved in human matters, but since your destiny is tied so surely with that of the very world's, I had to lend a hand in getting you back on course.

"To keep this future from becoming a reality, you must accomplish your task so that magic is brought back and legalized, so that the magical community once more flourishes. This way, the people of the future will actually believe in the Arthurian legends and myths; so that the humans are unable to so completely raze nature and the spirits that dwell there. For you see, it is not only Arthur's life that hangs in the balance, but all magical creatures."

"This is…this is a lot to comprehend. Are you sure? Why should I believe you? I mean, I've only just met you." Emerlyn said, raising a brow at the woman.

"Emerlyn, the truth does not waver if you do not believe me, it simply is. And I have no reason to lie to you, as I exist outside time and space and therefore have little involvement with the humans of this world. As I've said, I only wish to preserve the earth and its magic, and to do that I must help you." Rhiannon replied with a shrug, unconcerned with the girl's doubt.

"Here, I'll show you a little piece of the future I speak of." She said, reaching out to take Emerlyn's hand. The witch jumped at the warm touch, eyes snapping up to meet the strange silver gaze before she was suddenly falling into the orbs.

When she came back to herself, Emerlyn's mind was whirling with the new information. She'd seen the strangest buildings and devices; but what had stood out, as she was sure Rhiannon had meant, was the utter destruction of nature.

There was very little green left in the world, meaning all the animals and spirits that lived among it were also diminished. The humans had so effectively ruined the world that it had to reset itself just to keep from being utterly shattered, leading to another ice age and a worldwide flood, wiping out the human race in the process.

It was a scary future to behold, no matter what advances had been made in technology and science. One thing was completely clear: without magic to hold the earth itself together and keep the humans from overstepping, the world would be lost.

"You now understand why I have come to you, Emerlyn. You are the only one that can save this from coming to pass."

"I…wow that was…what do I have to do?" She asked, meeting Rhiannon's eyes again, her own filled with a new determination. She might still struggle with Nimueh's death, but there was no way she could let Arthur be killed or the world led to ruin. Not when she had a chance to prevent them both.

"You must make Morgana an ally. You have to tell her the truth of her powers and share your own secret. Only this way will she feel like she has a true friend inside Camelot once she learns of her gifts.

"The fear of Uther discovering her will then be able to be soothed, as you share the same fear. Help her realize that magic is a gift and not evil, as Uther has taught her. If you can prevent her from forming a bond with Mordred over their shared secret, than it will make things that much easier in the future."

"Okay, I—I can do that. Yeah. But what of Mordred?" Rhiannon gave a slight shrug.

"You know what you must do already, Emerlyn. You must kill him before he becomes a threat or has the chance to kill Arthur."

"But…he's only a boy." Emerlyn protested, throat closing at the thought of killing another person in cold blood.

"He is, but he is also going to kill Arthur. You must never forget this. If you cannot bring yourself to kill him now, then be prepared to face him when he's stronger and has followers. It is up to you, just as long as you dispose of him before he murders Arthur." Rhiannon replied.

"I don't want to be a killer." Emerlyn whispered, staring down at the tabletop.

"You're protecting the future of those you hold dear, Emerlyn. It's a very difficult thing to realize and come to terms with, but it is something that you will simply have to do. I'm sorry for that." She said, patting Emerlyn's hand.

"I…I'll try."

"Good. Now, to get you ready to keep the future intact, you must be trained. With the High Priestess Nimueh's death, you have absorbed her power. Or more accurately you have unlocked that power within yourself, and the position of a High Priestess; but you must be properly trained in order to live up to your potential; to ascend to your rightful place." The witch looked up at that, the words ringing familiar in her ears. Where had she heard something like that before?

"How am I going to get trained? Magic is outlawed and I only have a couple of months before I must return to Camelot."

"Fear not, little witch. As I exist outside time, I have thus pulled you outside it to give you the necessary time to learn as much as you can. You will be suspended in time until I deem you're ready to return to your life." She smiled.

"You…stopped time?" Even though she'd learned so much about the world of magic since coming to Camelot, this seemed so farfetched it was hard to believe.

"No, I've drawn you out of it so that you are not affected by time. Essentially, you will not grow any older while here and will return to the same time you first set foot on the island. You could never learn what you must in only two months. We will begin your training tomorrow, so rest up. I'll show you to your room."

Emerlyn just sat there, dumbstruck, until Rhiannon cleared her throat and arched a brow, making the girl scurry up out of the seat to follow. Her life was never boring, that was for sure.

/*/

"So what exactly are you training me in?" Emerlyn asked as she followed Rhiannon out of the castle and around the large building, only coming to a stop when they reached a particularly severe section of wall. With how ruined the castle was, Emerlyn had to wonder if it stood only by magic, as all the supports seemed to be crumbling into dust.

"Before you can hope to reach your full potential, you must first build up your foundations. From the illegality of it all, I'm sure you haven't had much training. So we must start from the beginning. We'll work on your precision and endurance of casting simple spells at first, and then move on to more complex ones." Rhiannon explained as she conjured herself a chair to sit in. Emerlyn's eyes widened at the magic, never having seen anything like it before.

"I thought I was gonna learn useful stuff. Like how to better protect Arthur." She muttered.

"Patience, Emerlyn. You're no good to anyone if you grow too tired in a fight to properly cast. Raw magical potential can only get you so far, little witch. The best are such because they give the dedication and time to hone their crafts.

"Now, you're going to rebuild this wall."

"What?" Emerlyn asked with wide eyes.

"The castle must be repaired, and it is the perfect way to improve both your endurance and precision. Not to mention your strength, as those blocks get heavy after a while, no matter how much magic you use. Well, hop to it."

Emerlyn gaped at her for several minutes, not believing she was actually serious. The wall was practically falling down! But as the timeless woman just sat there waiting, the witch figured she was not going to get out of this.

Sighing, the young woman started clearing the wall of loose or broken stone, knowing from helping rebuild her village after a fire that she had to start from a clean slate if she wanted the wall to be structurally sound.

Rhiannon watched as the witch started, giving pointers here and there on what spell would be a better choice, especially on how to seal the stones together. The girl was already sweating and panting by the 1/4th mark, struggling with focusing her spells.

"Alright, let's take a break. Drink some water." Emerlyn wiped at the sweat on her brow, turning to see the woman had conjured a pitcher of water and goblets at some point. Taking the glass greedily, she swallowed the liquid down in one gulp before refilling.

"You're doing quite well, Emerlyn. We should set up an exercise schedule for you as well, build up your strength physically. I want you to try to finish half the wall before we break for lunch."

Sighing, Emerlyn just nodded, too tired to try and fight her orders. Besides, Rhiannon was a being the witch knew was immensely powerful and was more than a match for her. It was better to just do as told than try and fight.

/*/

Emerlyn groaned as she sank into the cool bath, her muscles aching terribly. It'd already been six months, or at least she thought it had, and while she'd already built up an impressive layer of muscle definition, Rhiannon's workouts just kept getting more severe.

Most of the exercises the witch had never even contemplated, let alone heard of. Her mentor liked to take her favorite routines from the future and torture her with them, Emerlyn was sure of it. There was no reason for her torment otherwise. Well, at least that's what she tells herself in her head to make herself feel better after a long day.

For what Emerlyn thought had been six months, as it was hard to tell time when you were not actually subject to it, Rhiannon had had her rebuilding and repairing the castle structure, both inside and out. She was amazed that she'd actually been able to rebuild a _castle_ with only her own strength and magic; it was mind boggling. And a nice boost for her ego.

Her body had developed well over the months, her once lanky form now toned and lithe, muscles popping up where Emerlyn hadn't even known there were muscles. Rhiannon had found her astonishment amusing, but Emerlyn didn't let it bother her, since the timeless woman found most of the things the witch did amusing.

Like when Rhiannon had showed her how to make water pour down onto her if she didn't wish for a bath. It was like standing under a waterfall, the liquid cascading around her and cleaning her with the aid of her soaps. It was such a surreal experience, not having to scoop the water up out of the bathtub; she also found that she felt cleaner afterward, since she had not sat in the same water she bathed in.

Besides the work and new discovers, her months were filled with missing her friends and family. It was different than living in Camelot, as she could still visit her friends and write to her mother, or even go see her. Here, she had no option of contacting them, and the loneliness was overwhelming at times.

Rhiannon went against her no-involvement rule again, this time befriending the young woman. Emerlyn was grateful for the friendship, as she feared she'd have already gone insane from the isolation long ago.

She found that the ageless woman was very passionate about keeping magic and magical beings alive and protected, which only made the witch respect her even more. When she questioned why Rhiannon hadn't stepped in during the Great Purge to put a stop to the massacre, she'd been surprised to hear that it'd been a necessary evil in the development of her own and Arthur's destinies. That knowledge didn't make her feel any less terrible for all the poor souls that'd been executed under Uther Pendragon's orders.

"Since we've finished the structural repairs, we'll move to cleaning and refurnishing the interior tomorrow." Emerlyn's eyes opened to meet her mentor's, who was leaning against the doorframe, dressed in a simple sweater and jeans. The girl had been fascinated with the material and was disappointed to learn that it'd be a long time until it was developed, meaning once she left the island, she'd have zero access to the comfortable pants.

"Alright. But I thought we'd already cleaned most of the rooms while we were repairing them." She murmured, resting her head against the tub rim. Rhiannon walked into the room and sat on a vanity chair, checking to make sure her midnight black hair was still in place.

"We did, but there are many rooms that didn't have damage and we didn't visit. We'll restore this place back to its previous splendor and then start on the city. That shouldn't take as long as the citadel, seeing as we'll just rebuild the structures and clean them before moving on. Once magic is returned, you'll open the island back up to the magical community and people will migrate here, so they'll be responsible for furnishing their homes and workshops."

Rhiannon ignored the tired sigh that sounded through her charge's mouth, knowing she'd do as told no matter how much she wanted to refuse. She lucked out in Emrys being a reasonable young woman; she'd hate to think how difficult this would all be if she'd had to deal with a temperamental, prissy girl.

"Don't stay in there too long, Emerlyn."

"Of course." She replied, watching as the beautiful woman glided once more from the room, leaving the witch alone. Closing her eyes, Emerlyn let herself relax into the cool depths as her muscles began to unknot, allowing the witch some peace.

If this was how difficult the first six months were, Emerlyn was not looking forward to when the actual training began. She'd probably end up black and blue, knowing how her luck worked. She could only hope she fared better than expected.

/*/

It took another year before the city was completely finished, the new limestone buildings reflecting beautifully in the sunlight. It was a place where magic would one day be restored and allowed to prosper; a place where people could be free and not have to worry about persecution for simply being who they were born to be.

Emerlyn couldn't have been any prouder of her accomplishments, knowing it would one day be filled with magic users and the Old Religion would be felt once more. The Isle of the Blessed would once more be a center, a capital, for the magical community and its members; a place they could come when help was needed and would be found. Its completion was just the first step in Emerlyn building the future that'd been foretold eons ago.

Turning away from the window, Emerlyn refocused on the book in her lap, trying to concentrate. Rhiannon had made her start studying the history of magic, saying it'd give her a better understanding on how it worked.

The witch was just ready to finally get started, having been on the island for two years already and still hadn't been fully trained. She was beginning to get very impatient, which her mentor just disregarded, unconcerned.

On a brighter note, she was now being taught the art of self-defense. Rhiannon called what she was teaching her Krav Maga, some fighting style developed in the future that was apparently the best, as it mixed a little of everything.

Emerlyn had no idea what the woman was talking about, but she followed instructions none the less. They were focusing primarily on hand-to-hand combat at the moment, Rhiannon wanting her to master that area before bringing weapons in.

Emerlyn had also begun keeping a journal, needing a way to express herself when she could not speak with Rhiannon. She hated complaining about the never ending days, as she knew the woman was doing her a huge favor in training her, so when things got too much for her, Emerlyn turned to her journal for an escape.

But the long days were not the only thing occupying her mind; not in the least. She did not go a day without thinking about Arthur. She thought frequently of the others, of course, but the prince was constantly on her mind. She was plagued with longing to see his face, and fear that once she was subjected to time again, he would find he did not feel as he thought he did.

That was her biggest fear; that she'd return to Camelot and find that he'd realized his feelings for her were not as deep as hers. That she'd have to watch him, day after day, be unaffected by her presence and move on to other women while she withered and died inside a little each day. Not that she was worried or anything.

Snapping the book shut with a frown, Emerlyn glared down at the leather cover, hating that she'd let herself once more be distracted by thoughts of Arthur Pendragon. She was driving herself completely insane with the repetition of doubt inside her mind, which could not be staunched easily, since she had no access to reassurances.

She'd left Camelot haunted by her actions, but now the only thing haunting her was the fear that the prince would no longer feel for her as more than a master to a servant. No longer did she suffer night terrors of the woman's death, but of Arthur turning his back to her and leaving her out in the cold.

Sighing, Emerlyn discarded her book and got up, heading towards the practice room they'd set up in one of the open chambers, needing to distract herself. She hated that she felt so insecure, so dependent on Arthur's affection; she missed the days when all she saw him as was a spoiled pratty prince. At least then he did not occupy her thoughts to the point of madness.

She would just have to come to terms with the fact that he may in fact have moved on by the time she returned to the city. And she should reflect on her own feelings and determine whether they were truly good for her, as they could very well lead to her banishment or even execution.

And then where would she be with regards to her destiny? Yes, reflection was definitely in order.

And if she still felt for him as she did now, as she has for the last two years, than she would accept it and hope for his reciprocation. Because nothing, not even her own happiness, was more important than getting Arthur to his throne safely and magic restored to the land.

She just prayed that she wouldn't be cursed to be alone for all her days.

/*/

Once she'd completed her Krav Maga training six months later, she was allowed to begin practicing with actual weapons. It only took her a few weeks to try various options before they both decided dual daggers suited her best.

They were smaller than swords, so more easily handled, and they allowed for flexibility, which her previous training relied heavily on. She'd finally found weaponry that was no longer a hindrance, but an asset.

What the witch was the most excited about, however, was that Rhiannon was now teaching her actual magic. There were tons of spells one could use in a fight to either knock an enemy out, or to even deliver a quick death so the caster could move on.

Rhiannon would duel her, so that Emerlyn was forced to use magic, her daggers, and the defensive and offensive hand-to-hand of the Krav Maga all in one fight. This way she got real life practice at using all her new knowledge so that when she did return to reality, she was not adrift with how to handle herself. She couldn't wait to see the look on Arthur's face when he realized she was no longer a scared, skinny girl who couldn't properly lift a sword.

When they weren't doing battle simulations, Emerlyn was learning the ways of a High Priestess. There was a lot more ritual involved then she'd thought, but the witch was too thrilled with being given the chance to actually learn such things and to finally become a priestess herself that she didn't let it get to her. If she was going to properly serve her people, then she'd need to know everything there was to being a High Priestess of the Triple Goddess.

Since she'd finished off another journal, Emerlyn turned to dress making to pass the time when she was given time to relax. It kept her mind from wandering too far and also pleased Rhiannon, who'd taken one look at her meager clothing and thrown them out, saying a future High Priestess should never be seen in such poor attire. She'd thus been wearing articles of clothing conjured by the older woman, many made out of strange materials, like the pants Rhiannon had called jeans.

But she could not take these conjured items with her, as they would draw unwanted attention, so Emerlyn began making clothes to wear once she left the isle. The fabrics were brought to her by Rhiannon and of much higher quality than she'd ever worked with, which both thrilled and frightened her, as she did not want to ruin such expensive cloth. But Rhiannon had shrugged her worry off and said it was 'no biggie', whatever that meant. Her mentor was very strange at times.

So far, she'd made four pairs of form fitting trousers and tunics, since Rhiannon had said she could at least look feminine while in the 'male' clothing. She'd even had Emerlyn make herself 'bras' and 'panties' fashioned after the ones from the future, even if they were apparently not supposed to be around for another thousand years. Emerlyn was just glad she didn't have to wrap her chest while wearing a tunic anymore. (Yes, I know the first known bras weren't around till the 15th cent)

She hadn't, however, had to make the more elegant gowns Rhiannon had demanded she wear when in the presence of her kind, as the woman had produced them for her. They were very beautiful and Emerlyn felt like a fraud when she'd tried them on, as she looked more elite than she actually was.

But she'd learned, as with the tunics and 'bras', to just listen to her mentor and agree, as it lead to far less headaches.

So what she _was_ doing was making everyday dresses for herself. She still did not like wearing the girlish clothing, but knew that there were times when it was more appropriate for her to be dressed in such.

Like when a feast was held or an ally convoy appeared before the council, so she knew she'd need them. And since Rhiannon had thrown her two dresses out, she was forced to make more; only now, they had full sleeves and were made out of silk and cotton.

Besides clothes, Rhiannon had provided her with several pairs of nice leather boots. They came all the way up passed her knees, which allowed her daggers to slide into the front of them perfectly for easy access.

She'd also been given a couple pairs of fancy shoes to be worn with her gowns; Emerlyn didn't particularly like the heel on them, as she'd had very little practice wearing such things, but figured she'd probably not end up wearing them that often.

She just hoped she didn't fall on her face and make a fool of herself, as that was always a strong possibility with her clumsiness and luck.

/*/

"Is this really necessary?" Emerlyn questioned as she gazed into the ominous black surface of the pool Rhiannon wanted her to submerge herself in.

"Yes, Emerlyn. As the last rite of passage, you must complete this ritual. High Priestesses are more powerful, more elevated than mortal women, as you very well know. To help distinguish oneself from the others, High Priestesses have been ridding themselves of this mortal feature for centuries." Rhiannon replied, arching a brow at her uneasy pupil.

Emerlyn glanced up at her before looking back at the pool, her fingers coming up to fidget with the cap on her head, encasing all her raven locks. She didn't really understand _why_ this was important, as it seemed so extreme and…_strange_.

"Emerlyn, really. Women in the future pay a lot of money to have what you're about to get for free, so let's not dilly dally." Shaking her head at her weird mentor, the witch took a deep breath before walking into the pool.

As she slowly lowered herself into its depths, Emerlyn was pleasantly surprised to find the liquid was warm and soothing, sliding over her skin effortlessly. When her head was lowered, the world went black and Emerlyn was left in a dreamlike state as the pond and Rhiannon completed the ritual.

When Rhiannon blew out the last of the candles, she smiled when the water's surface began to ripple before parting to allow Emerlyn to reappear. Her naked body reflected beautify in the moonlight, the pale skin taking on an ethereal glow as she walked back to shore.

She reached to her head and pulled the cap off, allowing her black curls to fall about her before peeling the strange coating off her eye lashes and brows as she came to stand next to her mentor.

Rhiannon smiled at the still silent girl, grabbing the cloak she'd sat aside and draping it over her shoulders to give her some cover.

"Am I supposed to feel so…" Emerlyn trailed off, head still feeling clouded.

"Yes, it'll pass. Let's get back up to the castle and get to bed. You've finished all your training and the rituals to become a High Priestess of the Triple Goddess, so all that's left is for the ceremony to be performed and then you can return to your life." They shared a smile as they started back to that citadel, Emerlyn's head slowly clearing as they walked.

"I still can't believe I let you talk me into this. I mean, I look like a new born babe." Emerlyn muttered when they came into the front entrance and the torches showed just what that pond had done.

"Oh, shh. You'll come to appreciate it, I guarantee it. Now off to bed." Rhiannon said before heading towards her own chambers. Emerlyn rolled her eyes but did as told, her own exhaustion making itself known.

Pulling the cloak off her shoulders when she entered the room, Emerlyn headed to her mirror to fully inspect herself before bed. Turning her body this way and that, she shook her head in amazement that the ritual had actually done such a thing.

Sighing, she went to her cupboard and pulled out a nightgown and slid it on. She ran a brush through her hair a few times before sliding into bed, making the torches and candles go out with a flicker of gold.

As she laid there, all she could think about was that she hoped her future husband or any man she was intimate with in the future didn't mind her new state. The pond had robbed her of _all_ body hair that hadn't been protected, after all. (haha, okay I just had to do that. Don't hate me! I love you all.)

/*/

It'd been eight long years since she'd first set foot on the Isle of the Blessed, but she was finally leaving. Looking up at the city she'd literally rebuilt from the ground up, Emerlyn felt a rush of sorrow at having to leave the place that'd been her home for so long. She'd embedded her very essence into every rock and stone and it hurt to have to leave it all behind.

"Now Emerlyn, remember to head to the druid camps first. It's imperative that you make allies if you ever hope to be successful in your destiny." Rhiannon's voice broke the witch from her thoughts.

"Yes, I know. Thank you again for the map. It will make avoiding Mordred much simpler." Emerlyn said, referring to the enchanted map Rhiannon had helped her create that had the druid camp locations and a red 'M' for Mordred's location. (Think Marauder's map)

"I would use it to seek the boy out and end this now." She replied, giving a shrug when Emerlyn shot her a dirty look.

"I can't kill a little boy, Rhiannon, you know that. I must give him time to grow, to make his own choices. It might not be too late for him."

"You are mistaken, Emerlyn, but I know you will not be persuaded. I just hope you remember the threat he poses to the world before he can infiltrate Camelot itself." The witch sighed but nodded.

"I won't let him kill Arthur, I swear it. But I cannot kill him while he is still so young, either."

"Your decision. Now you'd best be off."

"Thank you again for all you've done for me, Rhiannon; I will never forget you." Emerlyn said, giving the timeless woman a hug.

"I'll have an ear out if you ever need me." The girl smiled as they separated.

"I know. So I guess this is goodbye then."

"I doubt it will be the last we see of each other, Emerlyn. Good luck on your quest and I hope the young Pendragon has missed you as you have him." Rhiannon said, making the witch blush.

"Let's hope so. Farewell." The two gripped each other's forearms and bowed their heads in a formal goodbye before Emerlyn turned to get into the loaded boat.

"Remember, just call out if you need my assistance, young witch."

"I will."

As the boat began to float away, Emerlyn watched as Rhiannon began to disappear until there was nothing left of her except empty space. She'd miss her mentor, even if she did drive her crazy at times.

When the boat reached the dock, Emerlyn was a little surprised to see her horse still standing where she'd left her, nibbling on a bush. It was shocking to actually see that time had actually not moved at all since she'd been gone, even while she'd spent years away.

It would be difficult to adjust to knowing that she'd had time to mature and grow while everyone else had been stuck in time. She'd have to watch herself, so as not to arouse any suspicion.

"I'll let you get some rest before we head out, since you think you just got here." She murmured softly to the large animal, whose ears just flicked as it continued to eat.

Grabbing her bags from the boat along with the saddle, Emerlyn made her way over to sit near the horse. She grabbed a spell book from one of the bags and got comfortable, knowing the horse deserved some rest after the long trek from Ealdor to there. She just hoped to be able to set out soon, as she was dying to return home.

**AN: Okay, so what'd you think? I know the chapter a choppy, as it was actually more difficult to write out than to imagine, but I hope you liked it anyways. And yes, this was the major change that I had planned and that was the starting point for this story. So PLEASE let me know what you guys think of this! Thanks!**


	14. Chapter 14

**AN: Please visit my photobucket (Courtney_Giles) to see the outfits I describe. Link is in my profile. **

Guest: I'm so glad you liked the chapter.

Guest: Wow, thanks so much. I'm so happy you like my fem Merlin story. I hope you like this chapter too! Thanks again!

Sam: Thanks so much!

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Merlin.**

Chapter 14: Making Friends

Emerlyn checked the enchanted map that marked the druid camp locations once more, noting that she was about a mile from the first one. Pulling on her steed's reins, she led the horse over to a small stream where she dismounted.

Allowing the horse to quench its thirst, the witch quickly grabbed one of the saddle bags and pulled out a dark red gown that had golden vine designs inlaid in the silk. She was currently wearing one of the custom outfits she'd created, a light brown robe of sorts that allowed for easy movement. She wore a pair of black leggings and a matching black chemise underneath; the robe's skirt was split in several places, allowing her legs to be free from confines and quick access to her daggers. (Visit photobucket)

She didn't particularly want to dress in the gown, as it was extremely expensive, but Rhiannon had stressed the importance of a first impression and that she had to look the part of a High Priestess of the Triple Goddess.

She needed to be seen as a leader for her people, one they could look up to and would willingly follow. So even while she'd rather remain in her very comfortable traveling attire, she began the process of changing.

It took several minutes, as she had to rely on her magic to tighten and adjust the bodice to make sure everything was as it should be. Feeling like an imposter in such finery, the witch had to force herself to unbraid her hair and comb it out, letting the luscious black curls fall around her shoulders. Emerlyn pulled out two small, pretty pearl hair combs to bring some of the locks up and out of her face.

Once done, the witch repacked her bags before moving to the stream, checking her reflection to ensure she didn't look as ridiculous as she felt. She almost didn't recognize the woman staring back at her, she was so far from the lanky girl she'd once been.

She did like how the gold threading of the gown accented the honey amber pendant she wore, bringing the eye to it, as was the purpose. The pendant did signify her ranking as a High Priestess of the Triple Goddess, after all, and would go far in persuading the druids to align themselves with her.

"We'd better get a move on, girl." She murmured, stroking the horse's large head before reattaching the saddle bag.

Pressing her hand against the pendant so that it was firm against her skin and her other hand rested on the horse's side, she did a quick enchantment so that she was once more concealed. It was the best item she'd ever been given, as it would definitely come in handy to keep her safe from being discovered.

Using magic to help her up into the saddle, Emerlyn picked the reins up once more and steered the mount away from the stream, getting back on course to the druids. She tried to rehearse what she'd say in her head. Rhiannon and she had gone over the plans, but it was still nerve racking.

What if the druids didn't want to agree with her? What if they'd lost faith in 'Emrys'? There were so many possibilities for how this was all going to turn out that Emerlyn's stomach began cramping from the knots inside it.

When she smelt the smoke of fire and heard the sounds of life, the woman released the enchantment over her and her steed, not wanting to startle anyone too much. It took a few more minutes before she could actually see the camp and its occupants, which there were more of then she'd originally thought.

As she approached, Emerlyn had to keep from blushing as everyone went quiet and stared, several coming out of tents or the woods to see her. It was obvious they were using the telepathic abilities common amongst the druids, telling everyone that the legendary 'Emrys' was approaching.

She brought the mount to a stop in front of the main entrance, trying to remain calm while her nerves went crazy, especially when everyone began whispering. The children had to be held back by their parents or siblings, as they wanted to run to her in wonder and excitement.

Even though she was the figure from their prophecies, they were still wary of her, knowing she was Prince Arthur's servant; they couldn't be certain she didn't mean them harm.

"Emrys!" An older man stepped forward, eyes wide in astonishment.

She smiled and gave a slight nod before glancing down at the horse and back up at him, a brow arched. The man flushed before he hurried over and helped her from the saddle.

"Thank you. I was hoping my horse and I might impress upon your charity for the night." She murmured, musical voice washing over the man and large blue eyes seeming to mesmerize him. She was more enchanting then he'd ever imagined, even though she was young enough to be his daughter. There was just something about her that captivated those around her.

"But of course, my lady." He gave a small bow, having caught sight of the pendant hanging from her throat. But more than that, he could literally feel the young woman's power and knew she deserved his upmost respect and courtesy.

Emerlyn took the arm he offered, allowing him to lead her into the camp while a young boy came up to see to her steed. Stepping into the camp, she smiled and nodded to those she passed, trying to project an image of confidence and friendliness. The man led her to one of the fires, where logs and rickety stools were placed, obviously a meeting place.

"Would you like something to drink or eat, my lady?"

"I'm fine, thank you. I would, however, like to speak with your elders, if that would be possible." The witch replied as she sat herself on one of the stools. The skirt was cumbersome, but she spread it out around herself the way Rhiannon had showed her, determined to be taken seriously in her new role.

"Of course. I'll get them immediately." He bowed again before running off.

The witch glanced around, taking in her surroundings. The camp was larger than she'd thought it would be and had a more settled feeling than she'd expected; but she guessed that being so far from Camelot has allowed them to get comfortable and grow in population. Why all druids didn't follow suit she didn't know.

"My lady, it's an honor." Emerlyn turned to see a group of men and women headed her way, the one who'd spoken being an elderly gentleman that was dressed in a long, dark blue robe.

_He must be the chief._

"The honor is shared, sir." She said with a genuine smile, standing to offer her hand. The man brought it up to his lips, making the young woman blush at the respectful gesture.

"Adair, my lady." He introduced himself as the group situated themselves around the fire, all curious to the meaning for her appearance.

"Please, call me Emerlyn. Or Emrys, whichever you're comfortable with. We're all friends here; no need for such formalities." The witch gestured around the group in general before retaking her seat.

"Is there a reason you've shown yourself to us now? Last we'd heard, you were in Camelot, protecting the very king who'd see you dead." A woman who looked to be past middle age questioned, the anger in her tone clear.

"I came to you because I am your kin and know that it is time I start acting on that bond." Her words were met with curious murmurs, which only died down when she held up a hand.

"Before any more can be said on that, I must first clear the air so that we have no confusion between us. I didn't know about my destiny until I arrived in Camelot; I didn't even know people like me existed. So those of you who have wondered why it's taken so long for Emrys to appear, that is why.

"Before this past summer, I had no training and relied on one old spell book and the Great Dragon to give me the answers I sought. I didn't neglect the druid people on purpose, that I promise you. I simply didn't know better or have the knowledge to be of any use." She paused, meeting the eyes of every single person in the circle.

"That doesn't explain why you protect Uther Pendragon." The same woman spat. Emerlyn met her heated gaze before giving a small shrug.

"Nowhere in the prophecy does it say I'm to be a murderer. If an enemy falls in battle or from me protecting myself and others, then so be it. But I do not desire to become like those I fight against.

"I ascended to the rank of a High Priestess not only through vigorous study and ritual, but by actually killing the High Priestess Nimueh in anger and despair. To this day I can still hear her screams and can never get the image of her death out of my mind. It is not an experience I wish to repeat in the future, if at all possible, which means I will not be responsible for killing the king.

"So yes, I may have also protected Uther in the past, but I can assure you it was never for his own wellbeing. Not only do I wish to avoid murder, but Prince Arthur is not yet ready to become king. He—"

"How do you know? The time of Albion might be closer than you think." A young man voiced, drawing her attention.

"I am Arthur's servant and I've been with him every day for the past year, aside from now, obviously. While he is honorable, brave, and loves his people, he is also rash, prideful and childish at times. Arthur wouldn't know how to rule Camelot, and she'd be ripe for the picking by any of her enemies.

"This is why I've protected my biggest enemy; because I cannot let Camelot fall just to be rid of a tyrant. Do not for a moment think I do not despise Uther's actions, as you'd be insulting me. I have helped those I could, but the ones who wish to wield magic for revenge and personal gain earn no quarter from me."

"So you kill your own kind?"

"I do what I must to protect Arthur and Camelot. Do you think he will wake up one day and just accept magic back into the realm? No, the seeds must be sown for his acceptance. And every sorcerer who comes to Camelot with evil in their hearts makes it that much more difficult for me to fulfill my destiny.

"This is why Uther must _not_ die by a magic wielder's hand. If he does, Arthur's heart will harden to stone towards us all and we will never be free. We will once more be persecuted and extinguished from this earth." She said passionately, stressing the importance of her words.

"I know most druids wish to live in peace, and I want to grant you that wish. But I cannot allow for all my work to be destroyed, no matter how little I care for Uther. I do everything for Arthur and the future foretold, even if that includes saving his father from sorcerers. Do you understand that?" She questioned, resting her hands in her lap as she gazed around at the gathered people.

There were several minutes of hot debate between the druids as Emerlyn waited, knowing this was the crucial moment. If they decided they could not accept that Uther was to be left alone, then there was no more she could do and she'd move onto the next camp.

Finally, Adair turned back to face her, having risen from his spot to speak with the group. She waited patiently, eyes never wavering from his. She was a High Priestess and did not show her nerves, even when they were tight with trepidation.

"We're a peaceful people, Emrys; we do not wish to get caught in a war once more. Even though we dislike Uther Pendragon for his crimes against our people, we understand your reasoning and have agreed not to seek him out in vengeance." The group was gifted with a bright smile, enhancing the woman's remarkable beauty even more.

"I'm sorry we cannot yet get justice for our fallen brothers and sisters, but in due time we will, I promise you that. Now that we've settled that, there is only one more thing I must ask of you before I can give you a gift, if you'd like it." Her words created another excited buzz that she once more had to signal for quiet.

"Before I grant this gift, I must ask you for one more favor. You all know of Arthur's and my destiny, but what you do not know is there is someone who has been foreseen to prevent us from completing it. The warning has come to me from two reliable sources that this man, well he's a boy right now, will kill Arthur before we have a chance of uniting Albion and freeing our people."

"What would you have us do?" The young man from before asked.

"I simply ask that you refuse him entrance into your camp. I realize this goes against your customs, especially as he's a druid himself. But I must ask this of you none the less." She held up her hands in a helpless manner, showing that there was little she could do about it.

"What gift are you offering in exchange for this boy's exclusion?" Adair voiced, thick eye brows arched.

"I can secure your camp so that it cannot be found by anyone not granted entrance. You could be looking Uther in the eye and he wouldn't know you were there."

"You can do that? Truly?" Someone asked from within the group.

"Yes, I can. You'd no longer have to fear discovery, nor have to pick up and move whenever a patrol got too close. You could have actual homes and gardens, a true settled camp." She smiled, hoping the idea was enough to get them to agree with her terms.

The witch leaned back on the stool, making shapes within the fire to amuse herself while the group once more talked amongst themselves. She wasn't going to rush them, as this decision was colossal and should be thought about before being decided upon. It was unheard of of druids turning one of their own away, so she knew what she was asking of them.

It took almost ten minutes before the group disbanded and Adair faced her once more.

"We've decided we can agree to your terms, if you will hide our camp. We would enjoy the added protection, as we've got quite a few younglings to be concerned about." Emerlyn jumped up from her seat, beaming happily.

"Thank you for agreeing; it will help me immensely to know Mordred cannot hide here. Now I need my supplies to get started." She said before sweeping away, headed towards where she'd seen the boy disappear to with her horse.

When she got to the tree the animal was tied to, Emerlyn was pleased to see two pales on the ground, one filled with oats and the other with water. Giving her a loving pat, the witch grabbed the bag she needed before returning to the gathering.

"For this concealment to work, I need blood and a solemn oath from every elder. This will prevent anyone else from inviting strangers into the camp and to keep them from accidently exposing the site.

"For the oath, you must swear to keep the location of your home a secret from those that are not friends. But more importantly, you must swear to me, Emrys, that you will not allow the druid known as Mordred into this sanctuary." Emerlyn explained seriously as she pulled out a ceremonial goblet and dagger.

She turned to Adair first, handing him the dagger and holding the goblet in front of him. Taking the knife, the old man cut into his hand, letting the shallow wound weep into the cup.

"I, Adair, chief and elder, do so swear to keep the location of this druid camp a secret from all those who are not friends and promise to refuse entry to the druid known as Mordred."

His oath was met with a small electric pulse in the air, signifying the gravity of the situation. The two shared a smile before Emerlyn moved on, getting promises from the rest of the elders.

"Could you please get everyone outside the camp? There mustn't be anyone left inside while I cast the spell." The group nodded before they all began to move, gathering up everyone to wait in the forest.

Grabbing her bag, Emerlyn carefully made her way out of the camp, being careful not to spill any blood from the goblet. Once she'd reached a good distance from the camp's entrance, she lightly set the cup down, making sure it was sturdy before pulling a wooden box out of the bag. Inside were dozens of white crystals, all the size of a walnut. Gathering five, she sat the box down and made her way back into the camp.

The druids watched in wonder as the legendary Emrys, now a High Priestess, began chanting as she stepped into the very center of the camp. They could just make out her dropping something into the ground before covering it up and walking out once more, this time going to a specific spot on the perimeter of the site and repeating herself. She did this three more times, each one punctuated by the witch dropping something into the ground before covering it and moving on.

Once the last crystal was buried, Emerlyn returned to the goblet, raising it high as her chanting grew in volume and power. The onlookers were shocked to see some sort of dome appear over the camp, the lines appearing from the spots she'd buried the crystals. They all let out gasps when the camp literally vanished before their eyes.

The elders, however, were slowly granted the knowledge of the location as Emerlyn poured the freely given blood at each of the five points. They couldn't believe she'd actually been able to hide their home away. She truly was worthy of her title and their admiration and respect.

"If the elders would lead everyone back in; you will be able to see the camp once you cross through the shield." The priestess called out, setting to work on cleaning the goblet before repacking her bag.

The group did as they were bid, the elders slowly leading their people back into their home. Gasps of amazement and excitement broke out as the druids were once more within the camp, only now completely hidden from outsiders.

"Oh thank you, Emrys! You're wonderful!" A young girl gushed when Emerlyn stepped back into the camp, rushing over to give her an elated hug. The witch just laughed and hugged the girl back.

"I'm glad I could help."

"Thank you, Emerlyn. What you've given us—there are no words to adequately show our gratitude." Adair said, coming up to them, making the small girl blush before hurrying away.

"Everyone deserves to feel safe in their own homes. It was the least I could do, Adair. I want our people to know I have not abandoned them. That I am working on fulfilling the prophecy."

"Oh, they will know of this, my lady. Those who wish to see the Albion foretold will gladly wait, knowing you are as remarkable as imagined. Once they hear of your actions, there will be few who will turn on you, I'm sure."

"Just…make sure you leave my real name out of it. It would be disastrous if word got back to Uther or Arthur."

"Of course, my lady. Would you like some supper?"

"Hmm, I am starving actually. The concealment spell takes a lot out of you." She replied, gratefully letting him lead her towards the area they had set up for meal times.

"If you don't mind me asking, what did you bury around the camp?" He questioned as he pulled out a chair for her.

"They were enchanted crystals. Instead of using a person to channel the spell, I place crystals at the North, East, South, West and Center points. The dome you might have seen shows how the energy of the spell is shared between the crystals, so as not to burn out as quickly. If things have not progressed to where I hope they'll be in a few years, or if you wish to move, I'll have to replace them."

"Ah. It was smart not to have a person as the conduit, as life is so hard to hold on to in this era." The old man said wisely as he seated himself.

A few women brought over bowls of fruits and vegetables while a man sat a platter of boar's meat down before they all seated themselves. Emerlyn watched as the rest of the druids either went inside their own tents or gathered around in various locations, all seemingly comfortable and relaxed.

"To Emrys, may you fulfill your destiny so we may all be free." The chief toasted, rising his goblet. She blushed as the rest of the group did the same.

"To Emrys." The sound of cups clanging together made the witch smile as she lowered her own and took a sip. Even if all the druids didn't accept her, at least she knew of one group that did.

/*/

Emerlyn spent the next six weeks traveling around to the druid camps that were situated around the outskirts of the kingdom of Camelot. She was surprised to find so many, but they were generally smaller than the first one, so she had to guess that they were migrating a fair bit.

Overall, she'd only encountered three camps that refused her terms, as they generally consisted of renegade druids who were bent on Uther's destruction. She marked them on the map so that she wouldn't forget, as the camps granted sanctuary were also marked.

She avoided the camp north of the main city, as it was where Mordred was located, and she still could not bring herself to kill a young boy; so she thought it best to just avoid him all together.

She was happy with the results, though, since the larger portion of the druids were more than happy to give their oaths for protection from Uther. She'd never been thanked so profusely or so often in her entire life, making the witch highly embarrassed. But no matter her discomfort, she was happy to grant them safety and make friends and allies in the process. She'd need as many of them in the future as possible.

Emerlyn eventually made her way back around to Ealdor, where her mother was once more. To say Hunith had been shocked at her story would have been an understatement; the older woman had been lost for words for several minutes before she'd regained self-control and closed her gaping mouth.

The young woman had been greatly amused by her reaction, knowing how farfetched the entire thing would seem. If she hadn't lived it herself, it was doubtful she'd believe it either.

The two women sat out the next day to visit Balinor again, Emerlyn wanting to spend time with both her parents before she had to return to Camelot. She missed them both so much while she'd been away and wanted to cherish the time she had with them, as she hadn't seen them in eight years.

But she knew the time for her departure was growing closer and she had to once more say goodbye to her parents. She spent a week with them before that time came and she packed up her horse once more. Balinor and Hunith were sad to see her go, but knew her place was in Camelot and at Arthur's side, no matter how much the man might dislike that.

Setting out at dawn, Emerlyn started her journey back to Camelot and her destiny, back to Arthur. The fears she'd had for the last eight years resurfaced as she drew closer and closer to the city, not willing to let her mind rest.

But no matter what happened between her and Arthur, she knew that she'd simply have to deal with it because it was her job to ensure the prince's safety. She just hoped she wasn't miserable while doing it.

**AN: So, what did you think? Please let me know!**


	15. Chapter 15

**AN: Hey guys, so yes the rating has changed and you'll see why. Please visit my photobucket account, which is posted on my profile, to see the outfits described.**

Guest: I'm glad you liked the story so much, it means a lot to me. I hope you like this chapter and it lives up to your expectations.

Jace: Sorry for the delay. I hope you like this new chapter too and thank you for your reviews.

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Merlin.**

Chapter 15: Coming Home

Emerlyn's heart began to pound in happiness when she approached the front gates of Camelot, overjoyed that she was finally home. It'd been eight long, lonely years since she'd last since the beautiful city and the witch was overcome with just how joyous she was. Inside the walls were her friends, her destiny…Arthur.

At the thought of the missed prince, Emerlyn had to fight against the instant fear that crept into her heart, darkening her bright mood. All the questions and uncertainties that'd plagued her since she'd ridden out of the city came rushing back, almost consuming her in their flood. But there was literally no going back now, not with her already at the city gates and so close to crossing back into her destined life.

Stomach churning with dread, and yet anticipation, the young woman hopped off her mount, conscious that she didn't want to ride through the lower town with her thighs exposed so.

She was wearing the second traveling ensemble she'd created, this one a deep purple dress with dark green stitching and a small long-sleeve jacket. But unlike the brown outfit, she did not wear leggings underneath, so when the folds parted, her bare thighs above her knee-high boots were exposed. And she didn't think it'd go over that well on her arrival back. (Please go to my photobucket to see the outfit, because I didn't describe it properly)

Running her fingers through her hair, Emerlyn made sure she was straightened out, not wanting to look like a fool, since she didn't know who she'd run into on her way back to Gaius's; and if she made sure her 'girls', as Rhiannon called them, looked their best, since they were now exposed more than ever, then that would just be her little secret.

Grabbing her steed's reins, she started through the gates, sending smiles when one of the guards recognized her. It was nice that even while a servant, she'd made some type of impact on the people of Camelot, even if they only knew her as Arthur's servant. Camelot was her home, so she relished in being accepted back into its fold.

She made her way up through the town towards the citadel and stables, responding to friendly hellos before she finally reached the courtyard, a little sad to not have run into anyone she actually wanted to be reunited with.

Spotting a stable boy waiting near the courtyard gate, as was their custom, she headed over and had him stable her horse after removing her bags, giving the excited youngling a gold piece for his help.

Knowing she needed to get these bags hidden away before anyone saw what was inside, she quickly made her way to her old chambers, being stopped numerous times by rushing servants, all delighted the spirited young woman had returned.

When she made it into the physician's chambers, Emerlyn frowned when she found it empty, her guardian nowhere to be found. Getting a little disheartened, she moved to her room, relieved to see it hadn't changed at all since she'd left. Gaius hadn't even put crates of supplies for storage back in the room, delighting the witch.

Placing the bags in her cupboard for later, she cast an illusion charm on them, satisfied when they vanished from sight, confident her room wouldn't be raided before she could see to the bags' content.

When she spotted her blue gown still draped over a mannequin, Emerlyn smiled and felt a pang of longing, wanting to see Arthur more than anything. Even if he no longer felt for her the way she did him, she needed to see the prince.

Emerlyn was about to exist the room when she remembered what she was wearing. While she didn't think the outfit was anything to be ashamed of, she didn't think she needed to go before the king with her daggers so exposed. The man was paranoid and might see her reappearance as a threat, no matter her reasons for leaving, as there really was no telling with the tyrant.

Pulling the blades from her boots, Emerlyn placed them into the cupboard as well, not bothering to conceal them, since she didn't' see the point, as they weren't magical. Satisfied, the witch left her room and empty chamber, heading towards the throne room, concluding that she'd find everyone there or in the council chambers.

When she reached the throne room, she was surprised to see it empty except for servants. Sighing in frustration, the girl turned away and started towards the council chambers, irritated it was taking so long to find anyone. Usually she couldn't go more than ten feet without running into one of them, and now they were nowhere to be found.

Rounding the corner, Emerlyn was quietly cursing under her breath about having to search for so long when she ran into someone. Reacting quickly, thankful her reflects had been honed, she reasserted her footing and grabbed at the other person, preventing them from crashing to the ground.

"So sorry!" Emerlyn voiced, looking up only to let out a happy sound.

"Emerlyn!" Gwen shrieked loudly, throwing her arms around her dearly missed friend, not caring about the looks they were receiving by passing servants. Emerlyn returned the hug, delighted she'd finally found her friend.

"Oh Gwen, it's so good to see you! I've missed you."

"And I you! I can't believe you're actually back! It's been too long." Gwen said, stepping back with a bright smile.

"You have no idea, Gwen, truly. How have you been?" The two started walking, headed towards the front entrance.

"All has been quiet, really. Boring, if I'm being honest. Besides the king having the old tombs opened, there's been very little going on. But I guess that's actually a good thing. How was Ealdor? You look good; different. Where'd you get that outfit?" Gwen rambled, making Emerlyn smile, having missed Gwen greatly.

"There's a lot to tell you, but I'll wait until I can speak to both you and Gaius, so I don't have to repeat myself. Let's just say, I had a very long, very enlightening few months. And I made this; it's more efficient for when I go out with Arthur then just simple trousers and tunic. Do you like it?" Emerlyn asked, giving a little twirl as they stepped off the stairs.

"Emerlyn!" Gwen's eyes were wide, having gotten a glimpse of smooth skin that she had not been expecting. At her scandalized expression, the witch couldn't stop the laugh, the musical sound echoing around the courtyard.

"What? It's not as if a full skirt would help when riding a horse, Gwen. This allows for much more movement." She replied, amusement filling her voice.

"And exposure! I cannot believe you'd wear such a thing! It's so…" Gwen trailed off, not knowing how to properly voice her concerns over such revealing attire.

"I know it's not what you're used to, but it'll be a great help when I have to fight for my life and protect Arthur, Gwen." Emerlyn shrugged, not concerned with her friend's shock.

It was definitely not something one would see in Camelot, so she knew it would take time for others to grow accustomed to her new attire, because she wasn't going to stop wearing it just because it made others uncomfortable.

"Well, you'll certainly have Arthur's attention with it." Gwen muttered, making Emerlyn flush.

"Speaking of the pratty prince, where is he?" She asked, trying not to sound too interested. Gwen gave her a knowing smile as they headed across the square.

"I would imagine he's in the training grounds, as he spends most days there. His poor men, having to put up with that for so long." Gwen gave a light shake of her head.

"What're you talking about?"

"Arthur's been in a right foul mood since you left, reverting back to his old habits of bullying servants and being unnecessarily nasty. He's gone through six servants in the last two months alone." Gwen revealed. She didn't miss the hopeful look that crossed the witch's face before she could hide it.

"Really? Why's he being so awful?" Gwen rolled her eyes at her.

"Because he misses you, Emerlyn, as you've missed him I'd say. He's even been awful to his own knights." Emerlyn bit her bottom lip, delighted with the news. If he was as affected by her departure as she was, then surely he still had to have feelings for her. Surely.

"Oh."

"He asks about you." Gwen's quiet words brought the witch up short.

"Really?" There was no way of masking the hope that laced her words or eyes, making the maidservant give a small smile.

"Yes. I think he tried to deny how upset he was; because he didn't start questioning me on if I'd heard from you until three weeks into your absence. But now he asks at least twice a week." Heart beginning to beat faster in excitement, Emerlyn's face broke out into a bright smile.

"I shouldn't keep him waiting any longer then."

Gwen laughed at her impish expression, more than happy her friend was home once more and would turn the prince back into the respectable man he'd been before she'd left. If she no longer had to be another victim of his surly mood, the woman was all too happy to send Emerlyn to him.

"Yes, I believe you shouldn't. I'll drop by later tonight to speak with you and Gaius." The two shared another hug before Gwen continued on home for lunch and Emerlyn made her way to the training grounds, ready to see her prince.

As she approached, the sound of clanging weapons and grunting men filled her ears, bringing a smile to her lips. It was amazing that she'd actually missed helping the knights train, watching as Arthur put them through their paces.

Sure, a lot of days she was used as target practice, especially when he was being particularly prattish, but she had still missed it. And now that she was more than capable of handling a sword, she couldn't wait to see the shocked looks on the men's faces when she showed them just that.

When she finally caught sight of them, the witch was a little surprised the knights weren't in full armor, which they usually were, even if to just train. She personally thought it was ridiculous to wear armor as often as they did, but knew that was just their way and it kept them from ever being caught unawares. So seeing the men were in simple tunics and trousers as they practiced against each other was surprising.

And by the sweat stains on the fabric, it was clear they'd either been there for a while or had made those tunics the ones they trained in. Why they didn't just do themselves, and her, a favor and practice shirtless, she didn't understand. It would certainly cut down on the washing and allow her a wonderful view. Not that she was interested in anyone but Arthur, but still. What girl in their right mind would turn down such an appealing view? Not her, that's for sure.

Spotting Arthur, likewise in only a tunic, punching at a bag held still by a servant, Emerlyn felt her entire insides clench tightly at the first sight of his blonde head. All the pent up emotions that she'd tried to write out of her came surging forward, until she was consumed with the unrelenting desire to press herself against him and never be parted.

A little shocked at such a powerful reaction, Emerlyn had to take several deep breathes to calm her racing heart. Rhiannon had warned her that High Priestesses were more in tune with their bodies' needs and urges and that she'd feel more passionately about people and things, but the witch hadn't expected it to be so powerful.

Even her fingers twitched, desperate to wrap around his strong arms and hold him against her. And it was clear that he'd been putting in extra hours on the training ground, because even from where she stood she could see his arms had grown in definition, the muscles bunching and expanding as he pounded against the bag. She could imagine he'd been in that exact same position many times over the last couple of months.

"If you hit that any harder, you're going to make your poor servant fall down. And here I thought you'd outgrown your pratty prince behavior." Her voice rang out, echoing across the grounds, startling the men, who hadn't heard it in months. And there was no mistaking the musical tone for anyone else, or the gall the speaker had for saying such disrespectful things to the crown prince.

Arthur spun around, narrowly missing the servant's face with his fist, his face holding an expression of utter shock. When his eyes landed on her, on Emerlyn, he couldn't believe his eyes; and it wasn't even because of the very tight, revealing outfit she wore.

No, for the past couple of months, his every thought had been consumed with her face and the question to when she'd finally return.

At first, he'd tried to deny just how much he'd missed her, as he had to decide if he could live with keeping her secret from his father. But as time passed, the doubts in his heart were pushed aside as the longing to see her again filled him, breaking down his walls until he'd actually asked Gaius and Morgana's maidservant if they'd heard from her. But for two months it'd been complete silence, driving him utterly batty with the silence.

This had prompted the prince to take his frustrations out the only way he knew how: training his men. Their normal practice time was doubled, the knights spending numerous hours each day on the field, letting their captain work out his problems on them.

They respected him too much and knew how he missed his servant to ever voice their tiredness or soreness. They could only hope that Emerlyn returned before the prince ran himself into the ground. And their prayers seemed to have been answered.

The men went silent as they watched the two gaze at each other, neither saying a word as their surroundings fell away and it was only the two of them. It was plain as day to anyone looking how much the separation had affected both master and servant and how their reunion was rocking them. And if they noticed how beautiful Emerlyn looked in her strange attire, they were smart enough to keep that thought to themselves.

Emerlyn's teeth tugged at her lip, eyes locked with Arthur's. She couldn't seem to move her body forward, completely frozen in her uncertainty. This was literally the moment of truth that would reveal if he would accept her back into his life, and hopefully back into his heart.

"Emerlyn." He breathed, amazed she was finally before him once more.

He stepped towards her, eyes trying to take in all of her, and yet remain focused on her eyes; it was just so shocking that she was actually back. After months of missing her, of working through his own shock at her revelation, it was hard to believe she was actually _here_.

"Arthur." Her voice washed over him, sliding across his skin like silk. He'd missed her more than he'd ever admit aloud and seeing her again had awoken all the feelings he'd tried to deny until he thought he'd drown in them.

The servant watched in amazement as the two seemed to lose themselves, walking towards each other as if drawn by an invisible force. He'd heard about Emerlyn and how she was the only one who'd ever been able to withstand the prince's moods. And as he'd been Arthur's servant for two weeks already, he could understand why she was spoken of in wonder by the other servants.

He didn't know how he'd managed to survive so long, as the prince had been going through them rapidly, making it very difficult for the staff to find him replacements. Especially after he'd made the normally stoic and reserved James curse loudly before bursting into tears. The kitchen staff had looked on in horror, having never seen such a deterioration of the man. After that, Robert had been forced into the position against his will two weeks ago.

Reaching out, Arthur hesitated but a moment before his hand landed on her shoulder, giving a little start when his hand actually met a solid surface. Until that moment, he hadn't been certain she was truly before him.

Hand shaking, Emerlyn brought her own hand up to rest against his, eyes wide as her chest began to rise and fall rapidly, her heart pounding loudly in her ears. The eight years of separation fell away, until it was as if she'd never left; as if she'd never suffered eight long years of separation and loneliness. Her heart filled until she thought it'd burst in her chest and her eyes watered, threatening to shed tears of relief and happiness.

When her skin touched his, flames began to ignite within him, setting him on fire as he became consumed with his want for her. The anger he'd held these last months melted away as she filled his senses, completely overwhelming him until all he could focus on was the feel of her skin against his.

"Training is over." Arthur's voice rang out loudly, eyes never leaving the witch's.

The men all exchanged looks, but knew better than to speak up, not wanting to draw their leader's wrath for invading his moment with his absent servant.

Emerlyn quirked a brow at him, blue eyes sparkling as she began to get over her shock and her normal humor crept back in, even while her pulse still raced. The prince grabbed her hand and started pulling her towards the citadel, paying no mind to his knights or servants, too intent on getting her alone.

Glancing around, Emerlyn gave a shy smile and wave at the men she'd grown to respect, face flushed as she was led away. She'd be lying if she said the feel of his hand over hers wasn't wonderful or that her already galloping pulse seemed to pick up space as the prince quickly made his way up through the courtyard and into the castle, tugging her along behind him.

When they reached a deserted hallway, Emerlyn pulled on her hand until Arthur was forced to stop, spinning around to arch a brow at her questionably. But she didn't speak, her eyes dark with passion as her desire engulfed her. Emerlyn bit her lip, drawing his attention to the plump flesh.

"I've missed you, Arthur." She breathed out. The prince pushed her against the wall, his own desire overwhelming him until all he could focus on was how he wanted her.

"You shouldn't have left." He replied, hands coming up to cup her face, relishing in the smooth skin against the rough callouses of his hands.

Emerlyn sighed and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him against her until his body pressed hers against the stone wall. She knew this was very inappropriate, but she couldn't seem to help herself.

"Yeah."

Arthur leaned down, capturing her lips in such a searing kiss the witch thought she'd forever be branded by it; not that she was complaining, mind you. Rhiannon's warning about heightened passions was definitely bearing fruit, as the witch's mind completely clouded over until all she could see, all she wanted, was him.

Arthur had forgotten just how much kissing Emerlyn affected him, how it always left him wanting more and filled with more emotion than he'd ever experienced. Being the prince of Camelot, he'd been with his share of wenches and chambermaids, but he'd never felt such an overwhelming desire for anyone before.

The two pulled apart, panting. Arthur's lips trailed down her face, leaving kisses down to her neck, where he started to suck and lick, relishing in the taste of her skin. Emerlyn gave a small moan as his attentions made the fire in her belly burn hotter, threatening to consume her alive.

"A-Arthur." She tried to get out, eyes nearly crossing when he found a spot that had her knees buckling.

His strong arms held her upright, hands clasped firmly on her hips as he indulged himself in something he'd never thought he'd actually be able to do. Not with their different stations and her sudden departure.

"W-we should…mmm…private—ah—somewhere private." She moaned, head tilting back as his lips skimmed down her throat to her collar bone, which he gave a nip. Before she could think to try and persuade him more, Arthur pulled back, grabbed her hand, and started towards his bedchambers.

The two stopped several times on their journey, unable to keep their hands to themselves. It was as if the pull between them, now that it'd been acknowledged, refused to let them have more than a few inches separation. And the smoldering desire that burned within both of them refused to be sated by mere presses of the lips, demanding they finally step over that boundary, no matter the consequences.

When they finally made it into the room, the two barely got the door shut firmly before they were ripping at their clothes, desperate to be skin to skin.

Afraid he'd get frustrated with her clothes, Emerlyn concentrated on them herself, in between kisses and embraces, her back taking the brunt of their enthusiasm as she kept being pushed against the heavy wooden door. As a servant she'd hated the door because it was so hard to push open, but now she was thankful it was so sturdy, as it kept her from falling.

When she was down to her undergarments, Arthur picked her up and moved towards the bed, their mouths fused together in passion as her legs came up around him to keep herself secure.

Leaning over the bed, Arthur gently lowered her down, his body following her, not wanting to lose the skin contact as he continued to devour her, his tongue flicking over hers in a playful game of cat and mouse.

"Ah." Emerlyn gasped, tearing her mouth away from his when his hard member rubbed against her.

Pushing against his shoulders, Emerlyn sat up with him, trailing her hands down his chiseled chest, teeth tugging at her lip as she finally got to touch what she'd fantasized about many a night. He'd definitely been working out more, as his was more defined, the muscles twitching as she trailed curious fingers over the taunt skin.

"I've dreamed of this." She said quietly, looking up at him through her lashes, face flushing at the admittance. Arthur's lips twitched into a smirk before he reached down and scooted her back further on the bed, following her, his body pressing firmly against hers once more.

"I have as well." His voice was raspy, sending shivers down her spine.

Unable to control herself, Emerlyn grabbed his neck, bringing his face back down onto hers before she rolled them so she was sitting astride him, eliciting a moan from them both as she rubbed against him.

****M****

Pulling away, the witch gave him a shy look before she grabbed his hands and led them to the front ties of her soft corset; breathe hitching when his knuckles brushed against her breasts.

Arthur made quick work of the garment, satisfied when she was able to toss it over her shoulder, leaving her bare before him, much to his delight. Usually women also were chemises underneath, but he guessed her outfit didn't leave room for the extra layer. Not that he was complaining.

At the first real touch of his hands on her, Emerlyn shuddered; her nipples tightening as his rough hands gently roamed the sensitive skin. Arthur watched her face cloud over in pleasure as his fingers gave each pebble a tug, making her arch her back and moan as electric shocks coursed through her system.

Passion reignited, the prince rolled them again until he was once more over her, his hips nestled tightly against hers. He leaned down to capture her mouth in a toe curling kiss before moving his lips to enclose a nipple, sending more shocks through her at the new erotic experience. It was certainly more exciting then she'd ever imagined such an act could be.

One of her hands clutched at his hair, keeping his face pressed against her while the other skimmed its nails down his shoulder and over his back, eliciting a groan from him. Too overcome with her hunger to think clearly, Emerlyn arched her back so they were pressed firmly against one another and she could wiggle the hand from his back underneath her to until it reached the string holding her last visages of privacy.

When she finally got it free, she gave a strong tug until the cloth was free and she tossed it away, now completely bare. She had to fight back the urge to cover herself, not wanting to appear self-conscious. She was a High Priestess for goodness-sakes and would not let a little nudity derail her.

Arthur pulled back, eyes dark and hooded with want, shifting so he could step from the bed. His eyes widened at his first full sight of her, awestruck with how beautiful she truly was; all smooth milky skin that lay over toned muscles. He'd never seen another woman who had such a physique, and was surprised how arousing he found it.

His eyes trailed down her body, stopping to give her flushed mounds a heated glace before continuing down, eyes widening when he didn't hit the patch of hair he'd expected. Emerlyn's body flushed darker when she noticed where his gaze lingered, siting up on her hands and clearing her throat.

"Is there something wrong, Arthur?" She asked, not willing to give the reason for being bare. And by the blush that rose in his cheeks and the sheepish expression that crossed his face as his eyes darted back up to her face, the prince didn't want to question it either.

"No, of course not. You're…beautiful." His response was gruff as he quickly got over his shock.

The witch gave a small smirk before scooting even further back on the bed, so that she rested against the plush pillows that she'd spent many mornings fluffing.

"Good. Now are you going to just stand there like a clotpole?" At her arched eye brow and amused question, Arthur rolled his eyes before quickly stepping out of his boots and trousers, revealing himself to her perusal.

Emerlyn's body began to tingle and her pulse to pick back up, her desire surging through her as she got an unobstructed view of him. The prince bit back a groan at the look on her face and when she unconsciously licked her lips, climbing back onto the bed until he reached her prone form.

Welcoming him back into her arms, Emerlyn gave herself over to his kiss, letting herself be consumed. Their tongues danced together, neither seeming to want the kiss to end until it was absolutely necessary, air breathed in through their noses no longer being enough for their aching lungs.

Only parting long enough to get a decent lungful of precious air, Arthur reclaimed her mouth while his hands once more began to wonder her body.

When one of his hands skimmed down her stomach to land lightly against her nether folds, Emerlyn jumped in surprise and felt him smile against her lips before he trailed his mouth down to focus on her neck. The witch stroked her hands through his hair and down his neck, swallowing thickly before she parted her thighs, allowing him more access.

Arthur's eyes glanced up at her face as his fingers began to explore, delving into the folds to be met with a blazing heat and wetness, which quickly coated his digits. Emerlyn couldn't keep her hips still, too overcome with this new feeling, as every caress sent shivers of pleasure up through her core. And when he passed over a particularly sensitive area, the witch let out a breathy moan, encouraging the prince to repeat the movement to get a like response.

Gripping his hair tightly, Emerlyn forced his mouth back to hers as he continued to pleasure her, needing to somehow share in the feelings he was creating within her body. Rhiannon had gone into crude detail on many acts between men and women, but she'd never imagined it'd actually be so…gratifying. Her mother had certainly never divulged such information.

When a finger began to ease within her, the witch felt herself tighten against the intrusion, making Arthur have to wait several seconds for her to relax so he could continue. Nipping at his lips, Emerlyn smiled up into his eyes as her breath sped up and her hands roamed down his warm skin, wanting to please him as well.

When one of her hands snuck between them and found his erection, Arthur had to bite back an oath, his eyes almost crossing at the sudden contact. Encouraged by his reaction, Emerlyn grinned up at him as she circled her fingers around the rod, blushing at her boldness. Moving her hand as best she could, the beauty stroked his member from root to tip, not really being able to do more in their positions.

Hips moving in time with her attentions, Arthur refocused on his goal, bringing this thumb up to stroke that little nub he'd discovered by accident while his finger eased in and out of her tight passage, which was aided by the abundance of lubrication her body was supplying. When she started moaning against his lips, hips jerking, he added another finger to help prepare her.

Hand faltering in its movement, Emerlyn arched her back as her head tipped back, eyes squeezed tightly as her entire body seemed to disappear until there was only his fingers moving inside and over her. She shuddered violently when the ministrations from his thumb had her toes curling and hips rising off the bed, lights exploding behind her eyes.

Arthur had to take a deep breath to calm his own body when he felt her walls close around his fingers, the muscles spasming, milking the pleasure as much as possible. When her body began to relax, Arthur removed his hand and pulled her own limp hand away, replacing it with his own, covering the erection in her juices.

Before she could catch her breath, he positioned himself at her entrance and began to press forward, making her eyes shoot open and lock on him. Pausing at her look, Arthur tried to fight the urge to surge forward, not wanting to hurt her or go further than she'd allow.

But he needn't have been worried, as Emerlyn only bit her lip as she spread her legs apart more to truly cradle his, her hands running up and down his arms as she gave a slight nod.

Moving slowly, Arthur gritted his teeth as her tightness threatened to be his undoing, not willing to let himself go after only just entering her. When he reached the barrier of her maidenhood he leaned down to capture her lips once more as he stroked forward, swallowing her cry as he broke through.

"Sorry." He murmured quietly, hips stilling. She took several seconds before her eyes opened and she gave a small smile.

"It's alright."

She leaned up to kiss his chin, letting her teeth nibble, thankful he'd actually been shaving in her absence. Taking her actions as encouragement, Arthur slowly pulled back before easing back in, mindful of the wince she tried to hide.

Why it had to be so painful for females their first time, he didn't understand; it didn't seem fair to him. Especially since it was taking all his willpower not to just let go, so overwhelmed by her heat and tightness that it threatened to make him look like an inexperienced fool.

Determined to make it as satisfying as possible for her, Arthur brought their mouths together once more as a hand wandered down her body to find that little pebble again.

With the added pressure, Emerlyn's cringes soon turned into pants as her magic seemed to dull the sting so she could focus on the electric shocks that coursed through her body. The feel of him sliding in and out of her, of them finally becoming one, was intoxicating, sending shivers up and down her spine. She'd never felt so full, so…complete before.

As her cries began to sound, at first muffled by his lips, Arthur's pace picked up, face pulling back from hers to drop into her neck. Cradling him against her, Emerlyn's own hips began to meet his, feeling her body once more begin to tighten and her toes to curl against the comforter.

But her so recent climax did not prepare her for the fireworks that exploded through her entire being as her body milked him for all it was worth. No, she wasn't prepared for that level of pleasure at all.

/*/

As the heat began to fade away from her body and mind, Emerlyn stared up at the canopy, shocked she'd actually just had sex with Arthur. Sure, she had missed him more than she could ever put into words, but she'd never expected to actually be so consumed with desire for him as to not be able to think clearly.

Although, to be fair, she should have been, seeing as Rhiannon did warn her of this. She'd made sure the young witch knew that being a High Priestess meant her desires would be heightened and she'd have to work on not giving into them as often as they demanded. It was so much easier back in the old days when the priestesses were all involved in ritualistic mating, sating their needs frequently.

Glancing over at him, Emerlyn saw Arthur had started to doze, head nuzzled into the pillow and an arm flung over her stomach. How he could just fall asleep so easily when her mind was racing was surprising, as she didn't think she could go to sleep if she'd wanted to. No, the witch was too busy being astounded by her own actions.

Needing to get her head straight, because even as she reeled she didn't actually regret their union, Emerlyn gently lifted his arm so she could slide from the bed. Trying to be as quiet as possible, she made quick work of locating her clothes, redressing as fast as she could without tripping and making noise. Pulling on her last boot, the witch gave the sleeping man one more glance before she left, easing the door closed silently.

When she reached the courtyard, the distracted girl ran straight into Sir Leon, who was returning with several knights. Strong hands gripped her tightly, keeping her from falling.

"So sorry!" She said, eyes wide as she looked up at Arthur's favorite knight. The men shared a look, clearly concluding what she and the prince had gotten up to by her rumpled appearance.

"It's no problem, Emerlyn. Is Prince Arthur seeing anyone? We need to deliver our report." Leon said, letting the witch go once she had her feet under her. At his question, the girl flushed deep red, hands coming up to brush at her hair self-consciously.

"H-He's—uh—he's sleeping right now." She said, clearing her throat as the men's faces began to fill with amusement. She was absolutely mortified they'd apparently gathered just what had just happened. She really needed to get out of there and take a bath.

"Of course, we'll speak with him later. Have a nice day." Leon said, jerking his head at the knights to get them moving again.

"Y-you as w-well." She stuttered, already edging her way around them, eyes wide. The knights watched as she scurried across the courtyard until she reached the door that led to the physician's tower.

"This is never to be spoken over. Do you understand?" Leon arched a brow at them, his status as Arthur's most trusted knight giving him power over the others.

They all nodded and held up their hands over their hearts in a silent promise, even if they were dying to tease the prince about not being able to withstand the powers of Emerlyn. Besides, if the prince hadn't already laid claim to her long before now, there were plenty of them that would've liked to have a piece too.

"Let's go." Satisfied they'd keep their mouths shut, as they all knew what would happen to the girl if the king found out, they started back towards the citadel. No, if Uther ever found out about the two, it would not be from the knights betraying their captain.

/*/

Thankful the chamber was still empty when she returned, Emerlyn quickly stripped and filled the bathtub and washed herself, face scrunching up at the crusted blood and other fluids that coated the insides of her thighs. She made quick work of the chore, magically cleaning the water once she was rinsed so she didn't have to bathe in the soiled liquid.

Once done, the witch wrapped a towel around herself and grabbed her discarded clothes before heading into her room, where she dressed in one of her new, fitted tunics and trousers. Sitting on her bed, the witch slowly began brushing her hair, mind once more whirling.

At the sound of voices, Emerlyn glanced up, shocked to see her room had gone dark, having apparently lost track of time. Setting the brush aside, she stood from the bed and exited the room, seeing Gaius and Gwen had entered the chamber and were speaking excitedly between themselves.

"Gaius!" She said in happiness, rushing down the stairs to throw her arms around the old man, almost knocking him over in her enthusiasm.

"Emerlyn! It's so wonderful you're back." Gaius said, patting her back before she stepped back, bright smile stretching her lips.

"I've missed you so much, Gaius. It's been so long." She said quietly. The other two shared a glance before they sat down, waiting for the witch to join them.

"Gwen tells me you wished to share the events of summer with us." The physician said.

"Oh, you're never going to believe what all's happened, Gaius. If I hadn't lived it, I wouldn't believe it." Emerlyn shook her head before diving into the story, sharing with them how her life had changed over the summer. To say they were shocked would have been a tremendous understatement.

"So…this Rhiannon trained you to be a High Priestess? And you spent _eight years_ on the Isle of the Blessed?" The old man asked, mind still in shock from her revelations.

"Yeah. I told you it'd be hard to believe." She smiled, knowing how difficult her tale probably was for them to wrap their minds around.

"I…Em…wow." Gwen was lost for words, gazing at her friend in wonder.

"So this means you failed in your destiny?" Gaius asked.

She'd left out the part about Morgana and Mordred, not wanting them to try and convince her against what she knew she must do. And Gwen didn't know about her mistress's secret and Emerlyn didn't think it was her place to reveal it.

"That's what Rhiannon said. But I'm certain I will now, with the training and the allies I've made of several druid camps. I won't let anyone kill Arthur." She said firmly, eyes going a blazing azure as she thought about the man who'd threaten to take the prince from her.

"I…I wish I didn't have to, but I need to see to Morgana for dinner." Gwen said apologetically, rising from her seat.

"That's alright; I need to do something anyways. I'll be back later, Gaius." She said, waving as she followed her friend from the chamber.

"How'd Arthur take your appearance?" Gwen questioned as they wound down the stairs. She saw the fierce blush that covered the witch's face, signifying that it'd been a good meeting.

"Uh…it was...I—" Emerlyn trailed off, tongue tying in knots as she tried to say it'd been fine. They reached the door and exited, Gwen pulling on her arm to prevent her from dashing away.

"What is it? Was he not happy to see you? Surely he was." She asked in confusion.

"No, he was. I…we…oh Gwen I don't know how it happened. One minute we're walking and the next we're kissing…and then we're…" She bit her lip, face so hot she thought it'd burst into flames.

"Then what, Em?" Gwen asked, eyes wide as she took in her flustered appearance. And as she looked closer, the maid could see light bruising along the black haired girl's neck.

"We…might have…you know." Emerlyn quirked her eye brows at her, not wanting to say it out loud. Even though she didn't regret it, she was still having trouble determining if it was going to hinder her relationship with Arthur or not.

"OH! Emerlyn!" Gwen gasped, her own face flushing as her eyes darted around, trying to see if anyone had heard them.

"Shh! I know, Gwen, I know. I left before he woke up, so I haven't talked to him. I just…I don't want this to come between us." She whispered.

"I…I'm sure it won't, Em. He missed you a lot, so I'm positive you'll…make it work." Gwen said, not really sure what to say. She couldn't believe Emerlyn had had sex with Arthur! That the _servant_ had fornicated with the _crown prince_. Uther would surely banish her if he were to ever find out, if not just chop her head off.

"I hope so. I'll see you later." Emerlyn gave a hopeless shrug before darting away. Gwen watched her go, still reeling from her revelation. She hoped for her friend's sake that the two were able to work things out, as she'd hate to see her sad.

/*/

"You told me I wouldn't see you again." Emerlyn rolled her eyes at the giant beast, setting the torch into its sconce before turning back to him.

"Well you were willing to sacrifice my mother; how did you think I would react?" She retorted, arms crossing over her chest.

"The life of one human means little to me, young witch. Why is it you have sought me out once more?"

"I wanted to…I'm not really sure. I just know I don't want us to be enemies, Kilgharrah. I don't wish for you to be imprisoned, and I shouldn't have threatened you like I did." She said .

"And yet you said I'd never be free."

"I was angry, alright. Jeez. And to be fair, you've been more concerned with your own freedom than truly helping me and Arthur, don't try to deny it. You're filled with hate, Kilgharrah, and I fear what that will drive you to do once you are free."

"You plan on releasing me?" He asked hopefully.

"Not until I can be certain you will not harm Camelot or its people. I realize that you have due justification for your anger towards Uther, but I cannot allow you to ruin the city and my and Arthur's destinies for vengeance. Until Uther dies, I fear we are unsafe if you were to be freed." The witch replied seriously, not breaking eye contact as she delivered the news.

"Look, I don't like seeing anyone imprisoned; I especially despise it being done to magical beings all because of the gifts they were born with. That includes you, the last dragon. But you must understand and respect my reasons for being unwilling to set you loose on the world. There is no way to guarantee you won't destroy Camelot, and that cannot be allowed to happen."

"I only wish to be free, witch. To feel the wind beat under my wings."

"I know, but I also know your hate for Uther has festered for twenty years. I'm truly sorry, Kilgharrah, but until I am sure Camelot is safe, I cannot release you." She said sadly before grabbing the torch.

"And if I were to promise not to harm Camelot?" Turning back to face the dragon, Emerlyn shrugged.

"Then I wouldn't see the harm in releasing you, once I find a way how. But I would need your oath not to destroy the city and its people." She murmured before leaving the great dragon to his thoughts.

/*/

After leaving the cavern, Emerlyn sucked up her courage and returned to Arthur's chambers. She was reluctant to face him, in case he regretted it, but knew that if she was going to have to face him sooner or later. And she didn't think she'd survive a prolonged amount of time where she was left to just stew in her fears and uncertainties.

Taking a calming breath, Emerlyn reached out and knocked on the door. She'd have just barged in like usual, but she was technically no longer Arthur's servant and didn't have the right to enter his bedchambers unannounced in the way she'd become accustomed. When she heard Arthur's voice call out "enter", the witch took another deep breath before pushing into the room.

"Art—sire, I, uh, need to speak with you." She faltered, eyes landing on the servant from the training grounds standing behind Arthur holding a pitcher, as the prince was seated at his table eating dinner.

"Leave us." Arthur said, voice gruff as he stared at the woman who'd occupied his every thought for the last couple of months. The servant gave a small bow, placing the pitcher on the table before exiting, closing the door firmly behind him.

"I didn't mean to intrude. I can come back." She said, backing away towards the door, her courage deserting her.

"Emerlyn." He arched a brow at her before standing, waving at her to come to him. He watched as she fidgeted for a moment before stepping towards him, her cheeks flushing.

"Imagine my surprise when I awoke to find myself alone. You can only guess as to how that made me feel, used and discarded so." Emerlyn peeked up at him through her lashes, seeing that while he was teasing, there was an underlining note of hurt in his voice.

"I'm sorry, Arthur. I…I wasn't sure…and I had to see Gaius." She shrugged. Arthur reached out, hands settling on her hips as he pulled her closer to him as he leaned against the table.

"You couldn't have woken me?" His voice dropped a decibel, sending shivers of want down her spine. Her hands hesitated a moment before rising to settle against his arms as she tilted her head back to get a better view of his face.

"I wasn't sure if you'd regret our time together or not. We haven't spoken of our…relationship now that I've returned." At her shaky voice, the prince pulled her tighter, until she was pressed firmly against him.

"I could never regret being with you, Emerlyn. Do _you_ regret it?" She shook her head, giving him a small smile as her fingers squeezed the muscles hidden by his tunic.

"No, my lord, I do not." Her voice went sultry, almost purring as her large eyes sparkled up at him.

Unable to resist her, Arthur leaned down and captured her in a deep kiss, relieved there were no regrets between them. When he'd woken up alone, he hadn't known what to think and the unknowing had nearly made him mental.

When they parted, Emerlyn sighed and leaned her head against his chest, relishing in the feel of his arms coming up around her, holding her close to him.

"So what does this mean for us?" Her question was quiet and she refused to look at him.

"I don't know, to be honest. If my father were to find out—" He didn't need to continue, as they both knew there'd be dire consequences for her if that happened.

"Yeah. I guess it can't happen again." She didn't want to acknowledge the disappointment that clouded her voice, but Arthur heard it none the less.

"Not necessarily. We'd just have to be careful, keep our relationship quiet. I don't know if I could go long without you, not now that I've had you." He confessed, shocked at his own frankness. The witch glanced up at him, her face flushed and a pleased smile stretching her lips.

"I think we could do that; keep it quiet." She whispered, teeth tugging at her lip.

"We'll have to be extremely careful, Emerlyn. With you being my servant, no one can see anything inappropriate." He said seriously, one of his hands coming up to stroke her soft cheek.

"So I'm your servant again?"

"Course you are. Everyone else have been complete idiots; couldn't do anything right." He said gruffly, his own face tinting a light pink at her amused gaze.

"Of course they couldn't. After all, it takes a very special person to put up with a pratty prince like you." She smirked at him, which turned into a shriek of laughter as he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder.

"I'll show you pratty." He replied, striding over to the bed, where a new comforter had been laid.

The other one had 'accidently' caught fire from a dropped candle, thus completely eradicating any evidence of their activities that afternoon. Arthur thought it'd been an inspired plan, if he did say so himself.

Tossing her onto the mattress, Arthur smirked down at her as she gave a small bounce. Leaning over her, he took her lips in a passionate kiss, giving into the demands of her pulling hands and lying atop her.

"Remember, keep quiet." Emerlyn whispered against his lips before locking her legs around his hips and rolling, taking him with her.

He gave her a surprised look as she straddled him; unlike earlier, the muscles of her thighs gripping him tightly so she could not be dislodged again. Nibbling on her lip, Emerlyn ran her hands over his chest, following them down with her body, so that her breasts were pressed firmly against him. Let round two begin.

**AN: Okay, so please let me know what you think! **


	16. Chapter 16

**AN: You guys are so awesome with your reviews. I hope you all enjoy this chapter!**

BoleynGirl: I'm glad to finally have a name to put to the reviews, lol. And I love your name by the way. If it's meant to reference the Boleyn family, that is. I have a BA in history and Henry VIII is my favorite British monarch to study. Sorry, rambling. I'm so happy you liked the chapter! I was worried about it not going over well because other Fem!Merlin stories don't tend to bring in intimacy until way later, so I'm glad it went over well. And thanks for reminding me about the rating, I'd completely forgotten lol. I hope you like this chapter!

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Merlin, including familiar script.**

Chapter 16: The Curse of Cornelius Sigan

Emerlyn groaned, pulling a pillow over her head as Arthur kept tossing around, keeping her from sleeping even if she'd have been able to snooze through the loud noises.

Since her return three weeks ago, the work hadn't stopped in the excavations; meaning the city was abuzz with noise day and night. And since the prince had to suffer, he demanded Emerlyn wait on him hand and foot, claiming she'd sleep in the antechamber to be able to hear him if he needed her.

Of course, unbeknown to Gaius or Uther, the two used the opportunity to be together, even on the nights they didn't actually come together. Arthur had found early on that he enjoyed holding her during the night, keeping her soft, warm body pressed intimately against his. And she'd be lying if she said she didn't like nuzzling against him.

"Emerlyn." Sighing, the witch rolled back over until she was against his side, lifting her head to look down at his irritated face.

"Yes, sire?" Pulling back as he sat up, Emerlyn gripped the sheet to her chest.

"Are you deaf? How can you sleep with all this racket?" He pouted, sitting against the headboard.

"I haven't been sleeping, Arthur. Which is why I have such large puffs under my eyes." She responded, pointing to her eye.

"I want you to go down there and tell them to stop." He said.

"They're working under the King's orders." She shook her head, long black curls swinging around her.

"Yeah. And you're working under mine." He replied tiredly.

"Wouldn't you rather I work under you differently?" She asked, mischievous smile gracing her lips as she let the sheet slip from her grip, exposing her creamy skin to the dimly lit room. Arthur seemed to actually think about it for a moment, making the witch begin to frown, before he chuckled and pulled her to him.

"How am I to get any sleep?" He asked, lips skimming over her neck up towards her mouth.

"Sleep's overrated." Her voice had gone breathy, pupils dilating as she let her hands wander over his bared skin.

"Hmm." Was his response, lightly nipping at her full lips before indulging himself on her taste. Emerlyn let herself be taken over, allowing Arthur to worship her body as he liked, delighted he found so much pleasure in exploring her.

/*/

"More." Emerlyn moaned, head thrown back as Arthur thrust into her rapidly, their bodies slick with sweat.

Gripping the top of the headboard for leverage, Arthur sped up his strokes, panting as they raced towards their releases. He didn't know how, but every single time they came together, it got better and better.

They were suddenly interrupted by a pounding on the door. Eyes wide, they scurried apart, Emerlyn taking the sheet with her has she slid over the side of the bed and hid out of view. Arthur tried to slow his breathing as he pulled the duvet over himself.

"Yes?" He called out loudly.

"Sire, you're needed immediately in the tombs." A guard said, head poking in just enough to deliver his message.

"I'll be there shortly." The guard nodded before shutting the door. Groaning, Arthur rubbed at his face, disappointed they'd been interrupted at the brink of ecstasy.

"Well, that was unfortunate." Emerlyn said, popping back up, sheet wrapped firmly around her, earning a scowl.

"Yes, it certainly was. We'd better go see what this is about."

Pouting, the prince stood and grabbed at his trousers, eyes unable to stop from tracking his servant's movements as she glided over to her own pile of clothes. He licked his lips as he watched the sheet fall away, her skin illuminated in the moonlight, enticing him all over again.

"I wonder what could have happened." Emerlyn murmured, pulling on her own pants before grabbing her breast-bag and sliding that on before pulling the tunic over her head. She could feel the heated gaze of her lover and had to fight down a satisfied smirk that he couldn't keep his eyes from her.

"Hopefully nothing too demanding. I'd like to resume our activity as soon as possible." Was his husky response, making her blush a little as she started braiding her hair. There was no need to actually look like she'd just been in the middle of a romp in the sheets, especially if the King was there.

"Let's go." Arthur said once they'd slid into their boots, leading the way out of the chamber and down the hall.

They made quick time of exiting the citadel and making their way to the tunnels that had been dug down to the old tombs. They finally reached a hole in the wall that had guards standing before it, signifying that was where they needed to be.

"Well, this is quite a find. You see, Gaius, I was right. There is treasure to be found under Camelot." Uther was saying as they entered, glancing around at the large cavern.

The physician wasn't looking at all pleased, and she could guess it had to do with the dead man laid out on the floor. Arthur left her side, wandering the tomb as his father stopped to pick up a gold bracelet, and Emerlyn came to stand next to her guardian.

"Which of my predecessors do I have to thank for all this? Gaius?" Uther asked, leaning over the sarcophagus. The old man looked up from the trinket he was examining.

"I would have to look into it, sire." The king gave a nod before peering over the stone slab.

"How did he die?"

"He seems to have unwittingly triggered a trap. Here." Gaius pointed to a spot on the floor.

"To deter grave robbers." Arthur spoke up, eyes dancing around the many treasures.

"There's plenty in here people would want to steal. Have them secure the tomb. Guarding it is your responsibility, Arthur."

"Yes, father." Arthur responded, glancing over at his silent servant.

"Good. See it's done immediately." The King nodded to his son before striding out of the room.

"I should examine this, sire, to see if I can find who this belongs to." Gaius held up the trinket in his hand.

"Yes, of course, Gaius. Take whatever you need to help you. Emerlyn, send for the blacksmith. We need to get a gate secured in place immediately." The prince demanded, all thoughts about pulling her back into his bed forgotten as he did his father's biding.

"Yes, sire."

Emerlyn gave a small head bob before dashing out of the room, knowing she'd be to blame if the gate wasn't in place by morning. And she was in too good of a place with Arthur to risk upsetting him. For now at least. She knew she couldn't actually let him have an easy time of it, as that'd be too boring.

/*/

Emerlyn yawned as she hurried down the stairs, trying not to drop the prince's bag and the beaters she was carrying, knowing she'd never hear the end of it if she did. It didn't seem to matter that they were now in an intimate relationship; the two of them never lessened up on their bantering, finding too much enjoyment in riling the other up. But that didn't mean she'd go out of her way to get insulted.

"Hurry up, Emerlyn. Go any slower and there won't be anything to hunt." Arthur rolled his eyes at his bumbling servant, still amazed she could be so graceful at one moment and a complete klutz in the next. It was certainly mind boggling.

"And that would be a bad thing?" She retorted, brow arched as she set the wooden beaters down to grab up the stool to help Arthur up into the saddle.

"It is the point of a hunt to, you know, _hunt_." Arthur retorted with another eye roll as he stepped up onto the stool and used it to propel himself into the saddle. But he'd only been seated for a second before the padded seat began to tilt, sending the prince crashing to the ground and the horse dashing away, spooked.

"Emerlyn!" Arthur yelled, glaring up at her when her face peered down at him. She bit her lip, and if he wasn't so irritated he'd find the action enticing.

"I don't understand." She said, holding a hand out to help him up.

"Well there's a surprise." He groaned, rubbing the side that had crashed onto the stone pavement.

"I did that girth up myself. It shouldn't have come loose." She retorted, gesturing at the horse that was being brought back by a stranger.

"That's the problem."

Emerlyn glared daggers at him, hands settling on her hips as she got prepared for a fight. Arthur's eyes skimmed down her, not able to help himself from noticing how appealing she was in the strange purple dress-thing she wore.

"It wasn't my fault!" She gritted out, blue orbs beginning to spark with indignation, making her even more beautiful to him. But before he could respond, and ultimately bring about another fight, a man came forward, the horse's reins in hand.

"Would you like me to fit the girth properly for you, sire?" He asked, quickly starting the chore.

"Thank you." Arthur replied, sending an irritated glance at his servant.

"It is an honor to be of service to the Prince." The man said, giving a small bow.

"An honor. Do you hear that, Emerlyn?" She rolled her eyes at his smug expression, crossing her arms over her chest as she watched the man fawn over the prat.

"Allow me the honor of brushing your clothes down?" The prince smirked at her, mouthing "the honor", to which she just rolled her eyes once more.

"Anything else I can do for you, sire?" Turning to face him, Arthur smiled.

"What's your name?"

"Cedric. I've come to Camelot in search of work." He responded.

"Good, you can be a beater on the hunt, we're short a man or two." The prince clapped his shoulder before moving back towards his horse.

"You are too kind, sire." Cedric said with a grin.

Emerlyn glared at the shaggy man for a moment, feeling as if something was off with this entire situation. She knew for a fact that the girth had been tight, so everything was not was it seemed. Reaching down for a wooden pole, she shoved it into his arms roughly.

"Here, you'll need a beater."

He grunted at the force and she just arched a brow before moving away. She didn't trust him, especially not with how respectful he'd been to the prince. It all just seemed strange to the witch.

/*/

Eyes wide in shock as the boar came sliding to his feet, Arthur had to take a moment to realize it had a spear sticking out of its side before he calmed down. The giant pig was already expiring, the labored breathing slowing until it became still.

Remembering how his own weapon had bounced off the animal's skin, Arthur's eyes shot up to lock on his servant, who was standing next to a tree, her own eyes a little wide.

"Who threw that?" He questioned, glancing around at his men, receiving negative responses.

When he looked back at Emerlyn, her eyes quickly lowered to the ground and she bit her lip, giving a small shake of her head; which, after knowing her for so long, Arthur knew was a tell that she was lying. She'd used magic to save them…again.

The prince was brought out of his musings when Cedric cleared his throat, giving a shy look.

"Was it you?"

Cedric shrugged and nodded, making the prince glance between him and Emerlyn, noting how irritated she had become at him taking the glory. But Arthur knew he could not out her, especially not in front of so many men, so he played along.

"You just saved my life!" He grinned.

"Honestly, sire, it was nothing." Cedric responded, lifting his arm as if to work out the tension he'd gotten from throwing the spear.

"I shall be forever indebted to you. You must be rewarded." Arthur glanced once more at his servant, seeing the glare she was sending at the man, before refocusing on his 'savior'.

"No, I couldn't possibly…" Cedric tried to deny as the prince came up to feel his arm, 'checking' for injury.

"Come on! What do you wish for?"

"I desire only one thing, sire." He felt bad for allowing the man to take the glory, but knew it was more important to keep Emerlyn's secret, even if she didn't know he was aware.

"Anything."

"A position in the Royal Household." Not seeing an issue with the request, Arthur nodded.

"Good. Consider it done." He walked off, smiling widely at Emerlyn as he passed her, making her scowl at him. Cedric came to her and shoved the beater back into her stomach.

"You can have that back now." But before he could move off smugly, Emerlyn whipped the pole up and around, slamming it against Cedric's throat, the men going silent as they watched.

"You would do well to learn some manners, _Cedric_." She ground out, the pressure of the stick making him choke. She arched a brow at him, eyes blazing in challenge as her lips began to twitch into a smirk.

"Now, now Emerlyn, no need to hurt the man. He is a hero, after all." Leon stepped in, hand coming up to rest lightly on her shoulder. None of them had been expecting her quick reflexes or how…threating she could appear. She'd certainly changed since she'd been away.

"But of course, Sir Leon. I wouldn't dream of injuring someone who's saved our beloved prince." She murmured, eyes never leaving Cedric's face as the smirk grew before she slowly stepped away from him and towards the knight.

The new servant gasped for air, hands on his throat as he watched the woman spin around to start back towards Arthur, who had watched the whole thing in amusement. Cedric watched as the two seemed to bicker a little before Arthur threw his head back in a deep laugh, making the girl smile as they moved away, knowing the men would take care of the boar. He'd need to take care of Emerlyn, there was no doubt about that.

/*/

Arthur watched as Emerlyn went about setting his dinner up, completely absorbed in something only she was aware of. He worried that whatever had his servant's attention had to do with magic, and then he began to get anxious that he was keeping this huge secret from his father and still didn't have Emerlyn's full trust. Which led to his feelings getting hurt that she had so little faith in him that she refused to tell him the truth about herself.

Knowing that she was a sorceress—no she'd said she was a _witch_—was driving him crazy. He'd been watching her closely since she'd returned, his eyes searching for any instance when she could have possibly used magic. And so far, all he'd seen her do was keep him or one of his men from getting attacked off guard and her chores getting done remarkably fast.

There was no indication she had, was, or was planning on using what Uther saw as evil and unforgivable to hurt anyone. The amount of times he figured she'd used magic to actually save them, even Uther, had the prince so confused his head was in a constant state of ache. He just couldn't decide if Emerlyn was simply an exception because she was _born_ with magic, or if there were others out there like her, who only used their gifts for good.

Added to that headache was the fact that they were sleeping together. He, Arthur Pendragon, was fornicating with his personal servant; and enjoying it a lot more than even he'd imagined. They hadn't really spoken about how this changed their relationship, but he could tell that the 'feelings' they'd had before she left had only grown and gotten deeper. Or they had on his part; until she actually said the words, Arthur wasn't sure of anything.

Because how could he trust his own eyes or judgment when she'd been able to keep her secret from him for almost a year, and even now thought he didn't know? Was he really so blind to anyone besides himself or his family and knights that he truly missed something almost too obvious that happened right in front of him on numerous occasions?

The doubt this knowledge had planted in him about his awareness had definitely opened his eyes and had him questioning many things, not just Emerlyn.

Like why did his father suddenly start the war on magic when before then it'd been legal and Camelot hadn't been in more turmoil than was custom for a kingdom? Did something happen personally to his father that he lashed out at every person thought to have practiced magic, executing them if they were guilty or not? Did it have anything to do with his mother's death?

Not being able to get answers to any of his ponderings, Arthur moved away from the window he'd been leaning against and approached his servant, who was pouring spiced wine into a goblet. Standing slightly behind her, the prince slid an arm around her waist, his hand settling on her hip as he glanced at the table over her shoulder.

"My portions seem to keep getting smaller. Are you trying to tell me something?" His voice was low and his hot breath tickled her ear, making her shiver.

"Just because your plate is not heaping with meat does not mean it will not fill you, sire. You have a perfectly balanced dinner." She responded, chin jutting out towards the plate.

"A balanced dinner?" He quirked a brow at her, thinking she'd probably gotten into the wine before him.

"Yes. Now stop complaining and eat." She said, stepping away from him and the table, not bothering to go into detail because she knew he wouldn't know what she was talking about. He just shrugged and sat down, picking up his fork.

"So you really don't like that Cedric fellow, do you? I've never seen you act so…" He trailed off, the glare she was sending him threatening to send him up in flames. And knowing her as he did now, he wouldn't be surprised if that really happened.

"Something is off with him, sire. And he was extremely rude, so I simply returned the favor." She shrugged haughtily, making his lips threaten lift into an amused smile.

"Maybe, but he did save my life. Don't you think that deserves respect?" She scoffed, making him arch a brow at her.

"I've saved your life as well, and I don't get respect for my efforts; why should he be any different? Because he is a man?" Her tone had gone deadly quiet, which was more dangerous than when she yelled, as he well knew.

"Well, it was very impressive." Glaring at him, Emerlyn grabbed up the laundry basket and marched towards the door.

"If you're so impressed with him, _my lord_, then let him warm your bed!" She huffed, slamming through the door angrily.

The prince couldn't stop the chuckle that came forth, loving that he could get her so worked up over nothing. She really didn't like his new servant, there was no denying that. He couldn't wait to see how the two worked together, as it was sure to be highly entertaining.

/*/

Emerlyn trudged into the chambers, completely fed up with Arthur and his dismissal of her. No matter what she did for him, all he ever saw her as was an idiot; when he'd be dead if not for her. Cedric was up to something, she just knew it; and Arthur not believing her made her both sad and angry, which was a very confusing state of being.

"What's wrong?" Gaius questioned as she entered, eyes widening at the sight of her face.

"Nothing. Arthur's a prat. Nothing new there. I'm taking a bath." She muttered, quickly pulling up the privacy screen. The physician debated trying to speak with her, but she looked like she needed some time to herself, despite them being in the same room still.

Emerlyn rushed through her bath, too irritated to indulge in a soak. It did, however, make her think about Cedric having to haul up buckets of water, then heat them, for Arthur's bath; the witch may have gotten a small bit of satisfaction out of that, if she was being honest.

And if he wanted to be a prat and send her home for the day, then that was fine with her. She might actually get some sleep finally. Plus, she wouldn't have to be there to hear him whine and complain about the noise. Yeah, she was lucky she got to go home. Prat.

"Be on your guard, Emerlyn. I know the prince can be frustrating, but I have reason to believe there's trouble headed our way." Gaius murmured once she stepped around the screen, wrapped in a large towel.

"Why? What's happened?" She questioned, quickly braiding her wet hair as she quirked a brow at him.

"Morgana's had another nightmare; and it seems like a large coincidence that there was a large raven in it when Cornelius Sigan's crest was a raven." The physician explained, holding up the ring he had been examining.

"Sigan? The sorcerer?" She asked in surprise.

"Yes. It appears it was his tomb we've unearthed. I fear nothing good can come from it."

"Have you told Uther?" She questioned, mind racing as she thought about what this could mean for them.

"He doesn't wish to take head of my warning. But I believe Camelot is in grave peril. I've translated the inscription. "He who breaks my heart, completes my work."" Gaius sighed, annoyed with his old friend .

"What does it mean?"

"Do you remember the stone in the tomb, how it glowed?"

"Yeah. I've never seen a jewel like it." Emerlyn nodded, starting to move towards her room to change.

"That's because it's not a jewel; it's the soul of Sigan." His words jerked the witch to a stop, wide eyes meeting his worried ones.

"You think he's alive? Still?"

"His soul is. But in order to truly live, a soul needs a body."

"So if the stone is removed from its setting, then the heart is broken and the soul is released."

"That's what I fear. Which means if the soul is released, there's no telling what Camelot is in store for." Rubbing at her face, Emerlyn gave a nod.

"I'll be on my guard, I promise."

"Good." Gaius watched as she went up into her room, his worry not lessened by her promise. He could only hope that the heart was never broken, for he feared for them all if it was.

Emerlyn rushed to get dressed, her mind whirling with the new information. If Cornelius Sigan was allowed to come back into this world, then there would surely be hell to pay, as he'd been as evil as they come, if her readings were to be believed.

But more than that, she'd actually forgotten about the very important task of gaining Morgana's trust and allegiance. She'd gotten so wrapped up in Arthur and their new relationship that she'd allowed it to slip her mind, something Rhiannon would flay her alive for if she were to find out. If she didn't gain Morgana's confidence, then she mine as well just kill Arthur herself and be done with it.

Dressed in another tunic and breeches, the witch rifled through the sack of books hidden inside her cupboard, looking for the specific tome she'd brought with her for Morgana. Once the thick book was in hand, she grabbed a bundle of herbs she'd need. Then she replaced the concealment charm on the sack and also placed it on the tome and herbs, so that no one would question what she was carrying.

"I'll be back, Gaius." She said when she ventured from the room, headed towards the door.

The physician just nodded, not even bothering to question where she was going. One thing he'd learned since she'd come to live with him, especially over the last few weeks, was that the spirited girl went where and did what she wanted.

The raven haired beauty quickly moved through the castled, hoping the Lady was in her room, since it was so close to dinner time. If she was eating with Uther, then she'd surely need to change; and if she was eating alone, then she'd be in her chambers, so she thought it was a good bet.

Reaching the wooden door, she gave it a rap, waiting until the curious face of Gwen appeared.

"Emerlyn?" The maidservant questioned, eye brows raised in surprise.

"Hey Gwen. I need to speak with Morgana if she's got a few moments." She smiled.

"Come in, Emerlyn." Morgana's voice sounded from inside the room, beckoning her forward. Careful that the book didn't brush Gwen as she passed, the witch stepped into the room and spotted Morgana seated at her table, picking through some grapes.

"Lady Morgana, I was hoping to speak with you alone." She gave an apologetic look at her friend, hating that she had to keep this a secret from her. But it wasn't her secret to tell, and she wouldn't betray Morgana by revealing it.

"You may go home for the night, Gwen." Morgana smiled at her servant, waving her hand.

Gwen glanced between the two women, questions clear in her eyes; but she gave a curtsy and left none the less. If Emerlyn didn't want her to know whatever it was, then there was a good reason, she was sure.

"What is it, Emerlyn?" Holding up a hand, Emerlyn pulled the herbs out of her pocket, shocking the woman when they suddenly appeared out of thin air.

"W-what?" Morgana jumped in her seat, alarmed eyes moving from the bundle to Emerlyn.

The witch ignored her and lit the end of the bundle with a candle, waiting for it to begin smoking before blowing the flame out. Waving the smoke around the room, with special attention given to the door, Emerlyn muttered strange words before setting the smoldering herbs down on a spare plate.

"I didn't want anyone to hear what I'm about to reveal." She explained, taking the seat next to the frightened woman and setting the still invisible book down gently.

"You're—that was magic!"

"Yes, it was. Wait, please Morgana, you don't have to be scared of me." She clamped her hand down on the lady's arm, preventing her from leaping from the chair.

"W-what do you want?"

"Morgana, it's still me, Emerlyn. Do you really fear me simply because I've shown I practice magic? Have I ever given you reason to doubt me?" She asked, hurt seeping into her voice even though she understood her friend's fear.

"I…no…but magic is—"

"I would never hurt you, Morgana. You must know that." She interrupted.

The other beauty seemed to think about her words, ever so slowly relaxing back into the seat until Emerlyn released her arm, confident she wouldn't run away.

"I know. I'm sorry. It's just…if Uther found out…" She trailed off, eyes wide with terror at the thought of what the king would do to the servant.

"I know; that's why you must keep this a secret, Morgana. My life depends on it."

"Of course. I won't tell a soul." Morgana reached out and griped her hand, green eyes large as she tried to reassure her. Emerlyn gave a small smile.

"Good. But there's actually a reason I've told you this, and I don't know how you're going to take it." She murmured quietly, nibbling on her bottom lip as she thought about how to approach this.

"What is it?" Morgana sat forward, the girl having her full attention.

"Uh…don't be scared, but…you have magic." She said seriously, not surprised when Morgana jerked back in shock.

"What? No I don't!" She shook her head vigorously in denial.

"I know you're frightened, and justly so. But you do, Morgana, rather you want to admit it or not. You were born with it. You're a seer."

"A-a se-er?" Morgana stuttered.

"Your dreams, Morgana, they're not just nightmares. You see the future."

"That's—that's not possible. They're just nightmares."

"Do you remember the dream you had about Sophia drowning Arthur?" Morgana stared at her for a moment before giving a reluctant nod, not knowing what to think or believe.

"She did try to drown him. If I hadn't followed them, she'd have sacrificed him to regain her immortality and place back in Avalon. I had to pull him out of the water, which wasn't easy since he was in full armor."

"R-really?" Her voice had gone quiet, eyes never breaking away from Emerlyn's face. Even though she wanted to refuse what the other woman was saying, the more she thought about it, the more things began to make sense.

"Yeah. And I'm sorry you have to deal with this, but I wanted you to know that you're not alone. That there was someone like you right here in Camelot that you could always come talk to. I know firsthand how terrifying it is to look the King in the eye and know he'd burn you alive if he ever knew your secret." Emerlyn glanced down, voice choking.

"You…you've been doing magic this whole time?"

"Like you, I was born with magic. I'm not a seer, but I can't not use my gifts, like you can't help but dream the future."

"Why've you stayed here when it's so dangerous?" Morgana questioned, gripping her hand tightly. The witch squeezed her hand.

"Because it's my destiny to be here, to make sure Arthur makes it to the throne."

"But surely if he were to find out you'd be on the block. He's just like Uther with regards to magic." Morgana said, her ire at the two men rising as the reality of their situation set in.

"No, he's not, Morgana. I've witnessed him changing since I've arrived. He's not one to blindly condemn someone for using magic with no proof or justification, like his father. And…there are prophecies that speak of Arthur uniting the lands of Albion and magic being allowed back into the realm." She revealed.

"Arthur's going to do all that? Really?" Morgana arched a brow in disbelief.

"I believe it, as hard as it is to see now. And I'm going to help him achieve it, as it's my destiny. Once Arthur is king, change will come, I'm positive. It might take some years, as one cannot simply overhaul an entire kingdom in a day, but it'll happen."

"Then why not get rid of Uther and let Arthur start that now?" Emerlyn pulled her hand away, eyes hardening.

"Because he's not ready to be king. Camelot would fall to its enemies, as he's not strong enough yet to rule her properly. And if Uther ever died by magic, then Arthur would turn against it fully and we'd all be damned." Morgana was shocked at how fierce her words were, not having expected such a passionate response.

"Alright, sorry." She held up her hands.

"No, I'm sorry, I overreacted. It's just so frustrating to have to sit back and wait, but I know it must be done if the future is to be what we hope and not our end. I have no love for Uther Pendragon, believe me, but I cannot put Arthur through the loss of his father, especially not now. So please don't think that I allow Uther to live for any other reason than for Arthur."

Morgana nodded, seeing the truth in her words. So if they had to wait for Uther to die from natural causes, it was just something they'd have to do, if the prophecies were to be fulfilled.

"So I'm a seer? What does that mean besides seeing the future? Is there a way not to have the dreams?" Emerlyn waved her hand over the tome, surprising the woman once more.

"This book will help you. It explains what your gift is and how to better understand it. I'm not sure if you'll ever be truly free of the dreams, but with practice, you should be able to cut them down significantly.

"And I believe you might even be able to make them less…nightmarish, if you will, so they'll be like a normal dream. I've even read of proficient seers ascending to having the visions during the day or when they concentrated, instead of their sleep being interrupted."

"You really think I can do all that?" Morgana asked in wonder, caressing the book's leather cover.

"I'm not sure of anything, Morgana, since I'm not a seer myself. But I'm happy to help you with this. But you must keep this a secret at all costs; there's no telling what Uther would do if he found out. But know that both Gaius and Gwen know about me, so if you ever have to go to someone besides me, they should be the ones you turn to."

"How long have they known?" She asked in surprise.

"A while. Read through the book and let me know if you have any questions; I'll try to help as best I can. But I should be getting back to Gaius before he wonders where I've gone." The two stood and headed towards the door.

"Thank you, Emerlyn. I realize the risk you took in telling me, so I appreciate it. It's good to know that I'm not alone." The seer pulled the witch into a tight hug, so thankful Emerlyn had come to Camelot. She shuddered to think of where she'd be without her.

"You're welcome, Morgana. We have to stick together. I'll see you later." The girl smiled again before leaving.

Taking a deep breathe, Morgana shut the door and picked up the burning herbs, tossing them into the fire to be rid of any evidence. Now all she had to do was find a decent hiding place for her new book.

/*/

"Good morning, Emerlyn." Gaius said when the witch emerged from her room, looking tired.

"Ehg." She grunted, rubbing at her eyes as she stumbled down the stairs and towards their eating table.

"Rough night? I thought since you got to sleep in your own bed you'd get a better night's rest." The physician said as he sat the bowl of porridge down in front of her.

"Not when you get jerked awake during the night by a surge of magic." She muttered.

"You felt someone doing magic?" He sat down, scary brow raised even more.

"I dunno if it was magic, precisely. But I heard a raven caw and there was definitely a surge in the air. I think…I think something might have happened with Sigan's tomb." She revealed, sharing a concerned look with her guardian.

"Are you sure?" He asked in worry. She gave a shrug.

"I think so. I—" Her response was cut off when there was a knock before the door opened, revealing a guard.

"The King request your presence in the tombs."

"I'll be right there." Gaius replied, earning a nod before the man disappeared.

"Looks like you might be right. Let's go." The two exited the chamber, breakfast forgotten in the wake of such distressing news. This would certainly bode well for no one.

/*/

"I knew he was up to no good." Arthur looked up as Emerlyn marched into his chambers, eyes blazing with self-righteous indignation.

"What in the blazes are you talking about?" The prince questioned, arching a brow at her as she came to stand before his desk.

"I'm talking about the fact that someone broke into the tomb last night, but there was no evidence of forced entry. Which means, obviously, that whoever it was used a key. And since I was so briskly dismissed last night, Cedric was the only one with access to your chambers and the key. Are you getting it yet?" She asked, hands on her hips.

"You're accusing Cedric of breaking into the tomb?" Arthur stood.

"Yes. And he's being possessed by the soul of Cornelius Sigan. The stone he tried to steal was actually trapping Sigan's soul, and now it's empty, meaning Sigan wishes to use Cedric to take his revenge. Camelot is in mortal peril."

"Emerlyn, have you been hitting the cider?" Arthur asked, disbelief clear in his voice. So yes, he knew she was a witch and all, but even she'd have to admit what she was claiming was ridiculousness.

"You're not listening to me! Why won't you believe me?" She demanded, angry he continued to refuse to see the truth.

"Emerlyn—"

"No, if you don't want to believe me then fine. But when Sigan sets out to destroy your beloved city, don't come crying to me, Arthur Pendragon. I was stupid to think you'd ever believe me. Why I thought you'd ever take me seriously in anything but your bed baffles the mind."

She snarled before spinning away, stalking out of the room with the prince watching in bewilderment. He hadn't expected her to get so angry, but knew she'd cool down once it was clear that Cedric was just a servant. There was just no way Cedric was being possessed. Right?

/*/

When the screaming started, Emerlyn sighed, knowing it'd started. There was no way Arthur could refuse the obvious now, no matter how big a prat he was. Grabbing her daggers, she quickly left the chamber, knowing she'd need to defend the prince no matter how he irritated her. Although she wouldn't feel sorry if he got a few bumps and bruises along the way. Prat.

But the chaos she came upon wasn't what she'd expected. Sigan had brought the castle's stone gargoyles to life, and they were attacking the screaming citizens. Rushing forward, the witch dove in front of a small child, protecting them from the beasts.

"Run!" She shouted, pushing the child away towards the lower town. The small boy glanced back at her for a moment before dashing away, desperate to find his mother.

Emerlyn grunted as the stone hand wrapped around her neck, squeezing tightly before it tossed her across the courtyard. The witch landed roughly against a stone wall, groaning in pain as she slid down to slump against the ground.

Shaking her head to try and clear the black spots in her vision, Emerlyn slowly got to her feet, having to steady herself against the wall. The creature turned back to her, roaring and rearing back, preparing to strike.

Thinking quickly, the witch cast the spell Rhiannon had taught her to blast through stone while rebuilding the Isle of the Blessed, hoping her short daggers had enough blade to be effective.

Arthur and the knights ran into the courtyard, shocked to see someone actually fighting against one of the beasts. And by the loud shriek it gave, whoever it was apparently struck a blow.

Unfortunately, it apparently didn't deter the creature for long as it lashed out with its long claws, hooking them into the person's chest before flinging them away.

"Come on men!" He shouted, his knights quickly falling into formation as they got the gargoyle's attention. But their weapons seemed useless, none of them being able to land a blow on its stone body, and most of the knights ended up thrown back and knocked unconscious.

Arthur grunted when one of the claws caught in his own chest before he went flying, landing heavily on the stone ground. He gasped for breath, his chest burning; when he opened his eyes, he was shocked to see the creature diving towards him. Before he could try to roll away, he was forcefully pulled to the side.

"Emerlyn?" He questioned in confusion, not understanding why she was there.

"I—I told you." She muttered, glancing up at the sky to watch the creature circle the courtyard. Arthur struggled to his feet.

"You're really going to gloat right now?" He asked in disbelief, earning an eye roll from her. That's when he noticed the long, bloody claw marks down her front, having almost completely shredded her tunic.

"Emerlyn—" He was cut off when she suddenly pushed him back down to the ground, landing on top of him with a grunt as the beast missed its target again.

Arthur wanted to make a witty comment, but the body over his was beginning to shake, warning that either Emerlyn was crying, or she was possibly going into shock.

"We need to get to Gaius." He murmured, sitting up with her.

Emerlyn blinked rapidly at him, the threat of passing out growing stronger with each passing moment. Gently setting her on the ground, Arthur stood and lifted her into his arms, unnerved when she didn't even give a complaint about being carried. Moving as quickly as possible, he hurried back into the castle, hoping she hadn't lost too much blood.

"Gaius!" Arthur shouted as he walked into the crowded room, drawing many people's attention to the injured pair.

"Arthur?" Gaius hurried over to the bed Arthur placed Emerlyn on.

"Emerlyn?" Morgana hurried over, eyes wide at the sight of so much blood.

"Will she be alright, Gaius?" The prince asked as he leaned heavily against the table, his own vision going blurry. The physician glanced up at him, noting the wound in his own chest, before turning to the king's ward.

"We need to stop the bleeding, Morgana. Keep pressure on the wounds." She nodded and took over pressing the gauze to her friend's torn torso. Gaius moved to the prince, pressing a cloth into the hole, much to the prince's displeasure.

"Arthur?" Uther's voice sounded from the doors before he spotted his son and moved to him quickly.

"It's nothing."

"Tis merely a flesh wound." They turned at Emerlyn's amused words, seeing that her eyes were glassy, almost as if she were drunk.

"Sorry sire, she's going into shock." Gaius explained, sharing a worried look with Morgana as he refocused on the prince.

"Have we driven the creatures out?"

"They have control of the lower town. The market has been all but destroyed." Arthur said, making the king pull away in alarm.

"How many dead?" Uther questioned, glancing around the room full of wounded people.

"Too many to number." Arthur said quietly, eyes peeking at his servant out of the corner of his eye. He was desperately hoping she did not wind up as one of them.

"I'm sealing the citadel."

"You can't."

"I have no choice. I have to protect those who have a chance. If I don't, we will all fall." Uther retorted, hating the necessity of it at all. Arthur struggled to his feet, Gaius having to help him stand.

"Where are you going?" The king demanded.

"There are people trapped in the drawbridge." Arthur said, moving away from the group to head back outside.

"I forbid you." Uther yelled.

"I can't let them die." The king rushed after his son, pulling roughly at his arm to get him to stop.

"It's suicide." Pulling his arm away, Arthur glanced once more to his servant before meeting his father's heated gaze.

"It's my duty to Camelot and to myself." He said angrily, ashamed his father was such a coward at that moment. He strode away, leaving Uther staring after him in fear, and his loyal men falling into step behind him, ready to defend their prince to the death.

"Gaius." Emerlyn mumbled, drawing her guardian's attention as the king headed back out of the room.

"Oh Emerlyn, what did you get yourself into?" He questioned as he filled a bowl with the bloody gauze Morgana handed him.

"I couldn't…couldn't…Arthur needs help." She stammered, eyes scrunching up as she tried to make sense out of her thoughts. But her head was pounding and it was difficult to think straight.

"There's nothing you can do for him now, I'm afraid." The physician said sadly, which only made her shake her head.

"No, t-there is. I k-know a spell—god my head hurts." She brought a hand up to cradle her head, missing the alarmed look the old man shot her and Morgana.

"She speaks nonsenses, Morgana. Don't mind her." Morgan ignored him and pushed forward, her own hands gripping Emerlyn's face until blue eyes met green.

"You know how to help Arthur? I know it's hard, but you must think, Emerlyn. His life depends on it." She said seriously.

"Yeah, right. Um…Gaius can't you…clear my head or something? I can't think." The witch questioned, blinking at the flabbergasted man.

"I…hold on." He backed away and headed to his medicine bag, grabbing a green vial before returning.

"This should work for a little while." Morgana took the vial from him and uncorked it before tipping it down Emerlyn's throat.

"Blah." She made a disgusted face that the others would have found funny if the situation wasn't so dire. It took a few seconds before her eyes seemed to clear, even if she became more aware of the searing pain of her chest.

"Thanks. Do you have the heart on you, Gaius? I need it for the spell to work." Morgana helped her off the cot, her legs shaking under her weight.

"Spell? What spell? You know magic is forbidden." Gaius said, glancing between them.

"Oh, right, sorry I forgot to tell you. Morgana knows."

"What?" Gaius demanded.

"I know, I know, you're angry. But we don't have time, Gaius. The stone?" Shaking his head at her, afraid she was going to get herself killed one day with as many people she was telling, Gaius reached into his robe pocket.

"Are you sure you can do this? Sigan is immortal and—"

"I'm sure, Gaius. I know what I have to do." She assured him, taking the clear heart shaped stone from him.

"Emerlyn—"

"I'll be fine, trust me." Emerlyn gave a small smile before she staggered out of the room, hand pressed firmly against one of the claw marks.

She made it through the doors just as the knights were rushing back, quickly sliding into the shadows so they didn't see her as they hurried into the castle. She was a little shocked to see them seal the doors, but knew Arthur would have ordered them to save themselves. Noble bastard.

When she made it back into the square, Arthur was lying on the ground and a creature was headed his way. Quickly chanting, Emerlyn brought her hand up to focus the magic until the beast burst into stone fragments, not caring if she was noticed or not. She hadn't dared use this level of magic before, fearing being discovered, but the very life of Camelot and Arthur depended on her, which meant she couldn't hold back.

Running to his side, aided by both the potion and her adrenaline, Emerlyn slid to her knees at his side. When he groaned, the servant breathed a sigh of relief, thankful he'd once more avoided death. The prince really did have a knack for staying alive, even in the most difficult of trials.

"Who would have believed it? You, a sorceress. And a powerful one." She looked up to see Cedric/Sigan walking towards them through the fog. She didn't notice Arthur begin to stir, eyes focused intently on her enemy.

"I won't let you hurt him."

"And you're going to stop me?" Sigan asked in disbelief. Emerlyn stood up, biting back a whimper of pain from the movement.

"I'll stop you." She said firmly.

"He does not deserve your loyalty. He treats you like a slave."

"That's not true. You don't know anything about Arthur." She refuted.

"He cast you aside without a moment's thought." Sigan retorted.

"No, he was being a prat. It's something he likes to do. But Arthur would never cast me aside, never."

"Really? Are you sure? Doesn't it hurt, to be so put upon, so overlooked, when all the while you have such power?" Emerlyn shook her head.

"That doesn't matter. It's the way it has to be."

"Does it? You're young, Emerlyn. Look inside yourself, you've yet to discover your true power. I can help you. Think, Emerlyn, to have the world appreciate your greatness. To have Arthur know you for what you are."

"You're wrong, Sigan. I already know my true power, and I've already got a mentor. And Arthur knows me for _who_ I am, and that's more important than him knowing my secret. He knows that I'll be loyal to him till the day I die and that I'll never stop fighting for him." She said, tensing her body up as she knew things were about to get hairy.

"Why be a servant when you can be a queen? We can rule of this land together. Arthur will tremble at your voice. He will kneel at your feet." Sigan continued.

"I'd rather be his servant than his master, Sigan. I will never join forces with such evil, never. Arthur deserves my respect and loyalty; you do not." She said firmly.

"So be it. If you will not join me, I will become you and your power will be harnessed to my will."

Watching as Cedric began gasping, Emerlyn repeated the spell in her mind to make sure she knew it perfectly, wincing as the poor man fell to the ground, dead. She had to wait until the blue/white strand of Sigan's soul had begun to wrap around her body before she could start chanting, determined to put the insane sorcerer back where he belonged.

Arthur, who'd been discreetly watching the entire scene, rushed over to Emerlyn's side when she fell to the ground, cradling her in his arms. He really hoped Sigan hadn't possessed her, hoped whatever she'd been chanting had worked and they'd be rid of him forever. Her body began jerking in his arms, making the prince have to hold on tightly so as not to let her injure herself even more.

Eyes snapping open, Arthur about dropped his servant when her eyes went black and there was a distant sound of a raven cawing. But just as he was preparing himself to the fact that she was in fact possessed, she gave another jerk and the black faded from her eyes, leaving only a beautiful blue.

"Emerlyn?" He murmured, watching as she seemed to finally focus on his face.

"Arthur?" Her voice was but a whisper before her eyes rolled into the back of her head, her body going limp against him.

"Emerlyn?" Glancing up at Gaius's voice, Arthur saw the old man emerging from the fog hesitantly.

"She's over here, Gaius." He called out, startling the physician. The man glanced between them before hurrying over, not really sure what to expect.

"What happened, sire?" Gaius asked, worried the prince had seen too much. Arthur glanced down at Emerlyn's slack face, trying to piece together a believable story.

"I'm not sure. I came to just as she was falling. But Cedric's dead, so I guess the Sigan man is too." He said uncertainly, not really sure of anything. Gaius gazed over his charge, noting how her wounds were bleeding once more, before his eyes landed on the hand clutching at something.

Arthur watched as the physician pulled her hand up to the light, exposing the blue stone from the tomb.

"What's that?" Sparing him a glance, Gaius tore a piece of her ruined tunic and used it to take the stone from her grip, making sure not to let it touch his skin.

"This is the prison that was holding Sigan's soul before Cedric released him. I'd guess that he tried to possess Emerlyn, and since she was holding it, his soul was forced back into the stone." He explained, hoping it sounded believable. Arthur just nodded.

"We need to get her back to the castle."

Gaius nodded and helped him stand before Arthur lifted his servant in his arms once more. If she lived through this, he'd never let her hear the end of all the carrying he'd had to do, knowing how she'd hate it. All he needed now was for her to live.

/*/

"You know you won't get any thanks, Emerlyn." Gaius said as he loaded a bowl up with food. The girl was slouched against the table, hating that she'd have to let herself heal naturally, since everyone had seen her injuries.

"I'm not a complete idiot, Gaius." She grunted.

"There you go, it's not much, but you deserve something." Her guardian set the bowl down in front of her.

"Thanks." They shared a smile just before there was a knock on the door and Arthur stepped into the chamber.

"I'll give you a moment." The physician murmured before leaving with his medicine bag, figuring he could check up on some of the injured to see how they were healing.

"Glad to see you're up and about." The prince said as he stood in front of the table she was seated at.

"You too, sire. Though your eye does look like it hurts." She motioned to the bruised and cut skin.

"It's nothing. How's your…injuries?" His cheeks flushed when he realized his eyes had dropped down to peer at her chest. Clearing her throat, Emerlyn shrugged.

"They'll heal." The two lapsed into an awkward silence for several minutes before Arthur sighed.

"Fine, you may have been right about Cedric. But don't let it go to your head, since you're a complete idiot the rest the time." Emerlyn smiled at him, knowing the insult had not heat behind it.

"Of course, sire."

"So what're you eating? I'm starving." The prince questioned as he sat down in front of her, dragging her bowl towards him to take a bite. Emerlyn stared at him in astonishment for a moment before rolling her eyes.

"Please, help yourself." Arthur just smirked at her, taking another bite. Rolling her eyes, the witch stood and filled another bowl, hiding a wince of pain as she sat back down.

"You're such a prat sometimes." She muttered, which just had him arching a brow at her.

"You know, I'm supposed to bestow a knighthood tomorrow and don't have anyone to clean my armor." Glaring at his amused face, Emerlyn gave a light kick under the table.

"Unfortunately for you, sire, Gaius hasn't cleared me to go back to work. I guess you'll just have to find someone else to polish your armor." Arthur swore there was a double meaning behind her words, but he let it slide.

"I'm sure Gaius wouldn't object to you sitting down while you work."

Sticking her tongue out at him, Emerlyn turned to her food, choosing to ignore the annoying prince until he started behaving better. Ha, like that would _ever_ happen. She'd be waiting forever.

**AN: So what did you guys think? Please let me know! REVIEW! I've set a goal of reaching 165 reviews, which means I need 12 more! **


	17. Chapter 17

**AN: You guys are just awesome! Seriously, you totally make my day every time I get a new review. It means the world to me that you'd take the time to leave a comment, even if it was short. I love them all! I hope you all enjoy this chapter and please review!**

BoleynGirl: I'm thrilled with how much you enjoyed the chapter. I aim to please, lol. I also really like Anne Boleyn. It might not be historically accurate, but The Other Boleyn Girl was a really good take on Mary's role. Not the movie, the book; the movie was horrible, lol. But I'd definitely recommend it if you like historical romance books. I hope you like this chapter! Thanks again, your support means a lot.

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Merlin.**

Chapter 17: From Prat to Prince

"Good morning, my lady. Did you not sleep well?" Emerlyn's ears perked up as Gaius's voice sounded through her thin door.

"No, I slept fine Gaius. I was actually hoping to speak with Emerlyn if she's free." Morgana's voice replied.

"She's in her room."

The witch quickly finished dressing, not wanting the elegant woman to see her in her undergarments. Although she was confused as to why Morgana would be seeking her out so early in the morning in the first place. It'd only been a few weeks since the Sigan incident and she hadn't really spoken to her since.

"Emerlyn?" Morgana knocked, waiting for the girl's reply before entering the small room.

"Morgana, is something wrong?" The witch questioned as she worked a comb through her black curls. The lady shut the door firmly before she wandered into the room, giving herself a moment to collect her thoughts.

"Everything is fine. I just…I finished the book you gave me and was wondering what the next step was." Emerlyn sat her comb down and began braiding her hair, working a white silk ribbon through the loops as she went.

"Well, since I'm not a seer, it'll be a learning process for both of us. I'm not sure exactly where to start, to be honest. Have you begun the meditation techniques discussed in the tome?"

"I've tried, but it isn't exactly easy to 'clear my mind'. The more I try, the louder my thoughts seem to get." Morgana replied in a huff, clearly put out by the entire process. Emerlyn gave a sympathetic look of understanding as she tied the braid off.

"I know it can get frustrating, but it's the first stepping stone to you taking control of your gifts. We'll just have to find another way for you to enter the peaceful mindset meditation gives you. We'll figure it out, Morgana, I promise."

"But I want the dreams to stop now! I can't live in fear anymore, Emerlyn." She said desperately. The other black haired beauty stepped to the seer's side and enclosed her in a tight hug.

"I know how scared you are, Morgana; I too live with the same fear. But we're in this together, remember. And I will help you as much as I can, but it's going to take time and practice. Nothing worth doing is ever easy." The two remained like that for a few moments before they both pulled away.

"I apologize, Emerlyn. I seem to have let my frustration get the best of me." Her pale cheeks flushed in embarrassment.

"It's alright, my lady. You might try listening to your surroundings rather than trying to clear your mind, as it may work better."

"Listen to my surroundings?"

"Yes, like the wind or a fire. Just concentrate on the one sound and you might reach the desired calmness. Just try and we'll see where you are in another couple of weeks. If it doesn't work, then we'll just try something else. But it will get easier, I promise." The witch smiled at her friend before she sat down to pull her boots on.

"I hope you're right, Emerlyn. For I fear I might go mad otherwise." The two women shared a smile.

"Well, we certainly can't have that, my lady."

"I'll leave you, as I'm sure you have much to do."

"If you believe watching usually sensible men charge towards each other with a ten foot pole meant to knock each other off their horses as 'much to do'."

Emerlyn rolled her eyes as she stood and grabbed her jacket. Morgana couldn't help but laugh at the sarcastic words as the two headed out of the small room.

"Don't let him hear you say such things about his beloved sport. He might actually put you in the stocks for it."

"Yeah, well, hopefully he'll get knocked out during practice and I won't have to listen to him whine all day."

Gaius shook his head as the women left, thankful the king wasn't there to hear them. He feared what would happen to his ward if Uther were ever to hear such disrespectful remarks about his son.

/*/

Emerlyn followed the outraged prince back to his chambers, amused that he was so angered by Sir Leon's withdrawal. She might fancy the pampered prat, but she was greatly entertained by his reaction; as if he hadn't been treated differently from others since the day of his birth. He was _Prince Arthur_ of Camelot, after all.

"How am I to prove myself, if my opponents aren't trying their hardest?" Arthur demanded as he stormed into the room, removing pieces of armor as he went.

"I'm sure it's not happening all the time."

"So it's happening some of the time?" Stopping to pick up a dropped wrist guard, Emerlyn had to bite back her first remark, knowing he was in a very volatile mood.

"No, I'm certain it isn't." She replied, although her tone lacked conviction.

"Now you're doing it. You're telling me exactly what you think I want to hear." Arthur exclaimed as he pulled his chest plate off.

"Yes." He turned to glare at her and she just shrugged and continued picking up after the slob.

"What?"

"Well, I was telling you what I thought you wanted to hear. If you didn't act like such a baby when your pride is hurt, then I wouldn't have to." She replied as she set the armor down on his table. Arthur glared at her before walking away.

"I do not act like a baby, Emerlyn. It's simply frustrating that I've been treated as if I'm special all my life. I just want to be treated like everyone else." He sighed.

"Really? Well, alright then, you're armor needs a good polish and your laundry could do with a cleaning. Hop to it." Emerlyn settled her hands on her hips, waiting until he turned back around to stare at her before she arched a brow.

"I'll pretend you did not just say that. You have no idea how lucky you are, to not have to live up to anyone's expectations. To be free."

"Arthur, you may think my life is easier than yours, but you're highly mistaken. If you ever wish to trade places, let me know. I'd gladly give up doing your chores for a day." She retorted, arms falling to her sides.

"It can't be that difficult to be a servant." Arthur said, even though a voice in his head reminded him that she was so much more than that.

"You'd learn a lot from walking in my shoes, Arthur. But I fear you would not be able to last a day without a servant to boss around. So just get over it already because you _are_ Prince Arthur, and there's nothing you can do about it." She rolled her eyes at him.

"Oh, but I can, you see." Emerlyn sighed heavily when she saw the look on his face, knowing she was about to be pulled into one of his ridiculous ideas.

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm going to change who I am; for the tournament, at least. That way, once I win, no one can say it was because of _who_ I am. I'll win on my own merits." Arthur grinned at her, missing the second eye roll as his mind whirled with possibilities.

"Arthur, please reconsider; I just know this going to lead to trouble."

"Nonsense, Emerlyn. Now, we'll need to come up with a reason for my departure and we'll need to find a place for me to stay. Not to mention someone to be my face, since I won't show mine until I win. You can take care of all of that, right?" He questioned.

"Arthur—"

"Good, because we'll also need two pairs of identical armor as well. Now, I must bathe before dinner." Arthur interrupted her, not wanting to let the girl have a chance to try and convince him otherwise. He was determined to see this through and show everyone that he was the best in the kingdom and he wouldn't let Emerlyn's large blue eyes sway him.

"This is one of those times that I tell you something is a bad idea and you do it anyways. I just want you to remember that." She poked him in the chest with her finger, making sure he got her point.

"Well I never listen to you, remember." Arthur smiled down at her, pulling her against him. Emerlyn's nose scrunched up as she was brought closer to his stink. Man really did need to bathe.

"And it always leads to something bad." She said, making him give a small chuckle before he lowered his mouth to hers. Sighing against his lips, the witch allowed her mouth to be plundered for several minutes before pulling away.

"I should get your bath started, sire. For you do indeed reek." As she turned away, Arthur gave her bottom a light slap, laughing loudly when she whirled back around with wide eyes.

"Arthur!"

He shrugged, smirk never leaving his face, before he started pulling the chainmail off. Emerlyn debated cursing him with something unpleasant for a moment before pushing the thought away and moving to the antechamber to grab his bathtub.

She wasn't sure what had gotten into Arthur, as he'd cycled through several emotions in the last ten minutes, but she just knew things were going to get complicated. Her life was never easy, after all.

/*/

"Stupid, infuriating ass." Sophia muttered to herself as she tripped again, cursing herself for ever allowing Arthur to talk her into this. She just knew it was going to end in disaster and then he'd just blame her for it. Clotpole.

Not only had she had to steal some of his clothing under the guards' eyes, but she'd also had to beg Gwen to harbor the idiot, as it would have been too risky to have him stay with her in the castle. She knew her poor friend was going to be at her wits end in frustration before this was all over, and she felt terrible for having to impose on her good will in such a way. But the prince would not be denied, no matter how she tried to talk him out of it. Prat.

She grunted as she climbed a small hill, spotting the bane of her existence standing a few meters away, looking impatient. Stupid prat couldn't even be a gentleman and offer to help her with the bags. Whatever did she see in him again?

"You're late."

"Well if you'd packed a bag for yourself, then I wouldn't have been. Do you know how many guards I had to dodge just so they wouldn't question me? And then Gaius had me mopping the floors, as that apparently couldn't wait for another day. And then I had to go find your stand in, as if I didn't have enough to do already." She replied irritably, shoving the leather bag at him before she rubbed at her side. She was in excellent physical shape, but she still had a small stitch in her side from her fast paced trek.

"You're so dramatic." Arthur rolled his eyes as he set the bag down so he could start pulling his armor off.

"And you're a prat, but I don't hold it against you." She retorted, making the prince pause as he was unclasping a wrist guard to quirk a brow at her.

"Are you ever going to show me respect?" His voice held amusement, which she knew was for her alone. If anyone else dared be so frank with the prince, they'd surely end up in the stocks, at the very least.

"Hey, you wanted to be treated like everyone else, so that's how I'm treating you. Stop being such a baby." Her lips twitched into a smile at his eye roll as she stepped forward to help him off with his armor.

"You treat me like this all the time."

"Well then, you should be used to it." She grinned again, but it was quickly gone when Arthur's hands grasped her arms firmly. Her eyes shot up to his, her breath catching at the sudden fire that seemed to reside behind his blue orbs, quickly setting heat to her own blood.

"I should have you whipped for your insolent tongue." The prince said, voice going low and deep as he pulled her against him, his hands sliding down her arms until their hands were intertwined.

"But you like my tongue just as it is." She could not believe she'd just said that. Her cheeks flushed in embarrassment, but she was rewarded with Arthur's eyes dropping down to lock on her mouth and a smirk to stretch over his face.

"That I do." Before she could try to come up with a witty retort, Arthur leaned down and captured her lips in a searing kiss.

Emerlyn sighed against his lips, allowing his venturous tongue into her mouth as she wound her arms around his neck. It wasn't the most comfortable position, as he still had his chainmail and shoulder plate on, but she wasn't going to complain. Their alone time was limited as it was, so she was certainly not going to pass up this opportunity.

Arthur's hands slid from hers, moving around her until one was pressing her even firmer against him and the other was tugging at the leather cord holding her braid together. He nipped at her bottom lip with his teeth, soothing the slight sting with his tongue and earning a breathy gasp from the witch.

"We shouldn't keep Gwen waiting." Emerlyn whispered when their mouths parted, even though her body was humming with want.

"Yes, that'd be a tragedy." She rolled her eyes at him, pulling away so she could start unbuckling his armor.

"She's doing you a favor, Arthur. You should remember that." The prince rolled his eyes at the top of her head.

"I'm sure she'll be fine, Emerlyn." Not wanting to ruin the mood by getting irritated at his entitled attitude, Emerlyn quickly finished removing the armor.

"There, now hurry up."

The witch stepped back, moving to hide the armor in the bushes. There was no way she'd make it through town carrying it without drawing attention, so she'd just have to sneak out for it later. One more thing she had to do, stupid prat. It wasn't like she wasn't stretched to the seams already.

"Are you really sure you should do this?" She asked, trying for a last ditch effort to get him to change his mind. Arthur pulled his tunic on over his undershirt and grabbed up his cloak.

"Pretending to be someone else is the only way to get people to be honest with me." He replied.

"Not me. I'm always honest about how much of a prat you are." Emerlyn retorted, making the prince roll his eyes.

It stung, hearing her lie to him once again, but he'd gotten used to it. Or at least, he was trying to get used to the fact that the woman he had feelings for was constantly lying to his face. It wasn't exactly an easily accomplished task.

"Grab my bag, will you. We don't want to keep Gwen waiting, after all."

"To pass as a peasant, you should probably carry your own bag." Emerlyn said with a smile before she started back towards the castle.

Arthur rolled his eyes once more before he grabbed up the satchel and pulled on his cloak, annoyed with how far Emerlyn was taking this. Just because he wanted to prove himself did not mean she could get so flippant with him. Well…more flippant than usual. He really did need to stop letting her treat him like this. He was the prince, after all.

/*/

"You can't really expect me to stay here." Emerlyn rolled her eyes at him.

"We need to keep you out of sight and Gwen won't tell anyone you're here. Stop being such a prince and be thankful she's so graciously allowed you to come into her home." She whispered angrily, eyes shooting fire at him.

"Really—"

"If you can't cope without your big bed and fluffy pillows…"

"This will be fine." Arthur muttered and turned away from her, annoyed that she could make him feel so guilty for simply having high standards. He untied his cloak, letting it fall to the floor without a care as he started looking around his new 'home'.

"How are the preparations coming? You said you found someone to play our knight for the tournament. Does he look the part?" Emerlyn gave an irritated huff as she picked up his cloak and set it to the side. Gwen looked over her shoulder and met her eyes, the two women sharing a look of a centuries old exacerbation.

"Well…he could do with a little cleaning up. He's waiting out back, actually, if you want to see him." The witch said, pulling the prince's attention away from a cupboard.

"That would be helpful." He said sarcastically, making Emerlyn have to bite down on a retort, not wanting to get into an argument in front of Gwen. Plus, she knew there really was no changing Arthur in such a short amount of time, no matter how much she wished he could really appreciate just how different their lives were from each other's.

"Of course, sire." Arthur smirked at her as she turned and exited the small house, body tense with her agitation. She really was too easy to rile sometimes. Gwen just continued to prepare the prince's meal, not wanting to draw attention to herself.

"Here you are, sire." Gwen sat the plate of fruit and cheese down on the table and moved to pour him a goblet of water.

"Thank, Guinevere." Arthur said, even though he would have preferred some meat. Picking up a cheese chunk, he popped it into his mouth as Emerlyn came back in, a dirty, shaggy man following behind her.

"This is Joseph." She said as she pushed the man to the center of the room so they could get a better look at him. Arthur shot her a look, as if he couldn't believe she actually thought this man would pull the disguise off.

"Great." Emerlyn rolled her eyes at his doubtful response.

"Have a little faith. He just needs a good cleaning and some coaching. I have to go get his papers, so you can see to that, right? Great." She shot the two a smile before she rushed from the room, having to keep her laughter to herself at the look on Arthur's face.

"Wait, what?" Arthur spun around, but she was already gone. The prince met Gwen's wide eyes before they both looked back at the silent farmer, not really sure where to go from there.

/*/

"So how're things going?" Emerlyn questioned as she came back into the house, fighting down an amused smirk when Arthur shot her a deathly glare.

"It's about time you returned. Now help him dress." Not wanting to anger him more, the witch just shrugged and stepped towards Joseph, who was standing next to the table in a fresh tunic. She couldn't help but snicker when she saw the wet splotches on Arthur's tunic, greatly amused by the idea of the pampered prince having to do actual work.

"I'll help you." Gwen said, standing from the seat she'd been occupying for the last twenty minutes. The two women made quick work of getting the farmer into his purple under-armor and chainmail, complete with shield.

"From now on, you're Sir William of Deira." The three looked at Arthur, who still had an annoyed expression.

"You've done your research this time, Emerlyn? We're not going to have another Lancelot issue, are we?" Arthur questioned, missing the intake of breath from Gwen at the mention of the long gone man.

"Yes, of course." She replied with an eye roll. She did learn from her mistakes!

"Good. Now he needs to learn to actually act like a knight." Sighing, Emerlyn left the man's side to sit at the table so she had a better view of him. Gwen took his shield and sat it to the side before stepping behind the table so the other two had a clear line of sight.

"Imagine you're really arrogant. Knights think they're better than everyone else just because their families are noble." Emerlyn said, giving a cheeky smile at Arthur.

"It's not arrogance. Ignore her. She can be quite idiotic. A knight must behave with honor and nobility." Emerlyn stuck her tongue out at him, which the prince just shook his head at before focusing back on Joseph, who'd stood up straighter.

"That's better. You must convince everyone that you were born into a noble family." Arthur finished. The fake knight turned to face Emerlyn.

"Polish my armor, girl." The witch arched a brow at him.

"Now you're getting the hang of it." Arthur smiled, making Joseph laugh.

"Being a knight does not mean you have to be rude. Sir Leon is very courteous to us mere servants. You should learn from him instead of the pampered prince." Emerlyn said, glaring at Arthur. He couldn't stop the little jab of jealousy that surged through him at the respectful tone she took when speaking of his best knight.

"You're doing fine, don't mind her. But you do need to polish our armor."

"Yeah." Joseph said, drawing their attention again before laughing.

"Oh, but sire, you wanted to be like everyone else. I'm sure you can figure out how to work a cloth and oil." Emerlyn replied as she stood. Gwen's and Joseph's eyes both widened at the exchange, knowing they were on the verge of witnessing a real fight.

"Emerlyn-"

"Have a great night. I have to go see to the chores Gaius has undoubtedly thought up for me." The witch said in a dry tone before marching towards the door. She just knew this whole thing was going to blow up in their face and now she had a stupid farmer trying to order her around? That was just ridiculous.

Arthur shot up out of his chair and moved to block her path, hands coming to rest on her hips. Gwen pushed Joseph towards the back of the house, wanting to give them some privacy.

"You're really pushing it today, Emerlyn." Arthur said in a low voice.

"You're the one who wants to do this stupid tournament. I'm simply the servant that doesn't have the ability to talk her master out of it. And if you've forgotten, you're not supposed to be here. Which means I'm not supposed to have chores to do for you, so Gaius isn't going to pass up the opportunity to make me do ones of his own. Not that you being here or not has ever stopped him from finding things for me to do." Emerlyn muttered the last part.

"Your life is so hard." Arthur mocked, making the witch glare at him and push him away from her.

"You have no idea what my life is really like, Arthur. You'd never last a day. Better get on that armor if you want to be done before bedtime." With that she exited, leaving a bewildered prince behind. He just didn't get women sometimes.

/*/

"Emerlyn, on your feel. Arthur may be away, but I am not." Emerlyn blinked the sleepiness away, coming to the realization that she'd passed out while scrubbing the floor. Groaning, she made her way to her feet, body aching from sleeping on the hard stone.

"And why is my leech tank still dirty? Where do you get the idea that you can sit around doing nothing?" Gaius demanded. The last few days' worth of pent up frustration heated her blood, making the witch glare daggers at her guardian.

"Do you think I sit around doing nothing? Have you lost your mind? I haven't had any rest since the day I came to Camelot. I'm too busy running after Arthur. "Do this, Emerlyn. Do that." And when I'm not running after that prat, I'm doing chores for you or I'm fulfilling my destiny. And now I also have the responsibility of being a High Priestess and having to answer my people's calls.

"Do you have any idea how many times I've saved Arthur's life? I can't remember. Do I get any thanks? No! I have fought griffins, witches, bandits. I have been punched, poisoned, pelted with fruit. And all the while I have to hide who I really am or Uther will have me executed.

"Sometimes I feel like I'm being pulled in so many directions, I don't know which way to turn! And the fact that you survived just fine without me for the last however many years, but now you can't clean your own damn leech tank is ridiculous. Here, it's clean."

Emerlyn waved her hand and the tank was pristine, not a leech in sight. Spinning around, she marched to her room and started shoving some clothes into her bag. Grabbing her amulet from its hiding place, she clasped it around her neck as Gaius came into the room.

"Emerlyn…"

"I'm going to be gone for a couple of days." She said before he could finish. The physician stepped back as grey smoke was suddenly enveloping his ward, only clearing when she was gone. Sighing, the old man shut her cupboard door before leaving her room, feeling terrible for having forgotten just how put up she really was.

"Gaius?" Turning, he spotted Gwen poking her head into the chamber.

"Yes?" Gwen smiled at him and stepped into the room.

"I was wondering if you'd seen Emerlyn?"

"She uh…she's left Camelot for a few days." The maid gave a shocked look, eyes darting around as if waiting for the witch to pop out of nowhere.

"What? Why?"

"I may have angered her with the chores I gave her." He sighed and sat down at a table.

"She's really left? But…" Gwen trailed off, knowing he wasn't supposed to know Arthur was still in Camelot.

"Yes, she did. I'm sure she'll come back after she's cooled off a bit." Gaius gave a shrug.

"Uh, thank you Gaius." Gwen gave a weak smile before leaving, knowing Arthur wasn't going to be happy about this. She couldn't believe her friend had really left her to deal with the spoiled prince all by herself. How was she going to make it through this?

/*/

"Emrys! You honor us with your presence."

"Saraid, it's a pleasure, as always." Emerlyn smiled at the woman and making her return it with one of her own. She'd decided to visit one of the druid camps that she'd made friends with instead of going home, as she only planned to be gone for a day or two and didn't want to get her mother's hopes of a prolonged visit up.

"To what do we owe this visit for, my lady?" Saraid, the lead healer, questioned as the two moved into the cloaked village.

"An annoying prince and thoughtless physician." Emerlyn murmured, making the other woman arch a brow before giving a light shrug.

"Our gain, then." Emerlyn smiled over at her as her eyes began to scan the revealed surroundings.

It'd been a couple of months since last she'd been here, and she was very pleased to see this group of druids, small as they may be, had started setting up permanent structures. There were still tents littering the clearing, but there were also the beginnings of stone or wood buildings that would take the place of the tents once they were finished.

"How are things here? Is all well?"

"Oh yes. We couldn't be happier. We've been able to plant a full harvest and pen down some wild boar. Vevina and Sybil are both getting ready to deliver their babes in a few weeks. Everything is just about perfect, my lady." Saraid beamed, proud that her druid camp had thrived so well in such a short amount of time.

"Excellent. I guess I should visit both women, to offer my blessings. I'll need to be informed once they've arrived so that I can also bless the children."

"Of course, my lady. If you'd follow me, I'll take you to them." Emerlyn nodded and followed behind the other woman, offering waves and smiles to the people she passed.

It lightened her heart to see how well they were doing, how much they were settling in now that they didn't have to fear Uther's persecution. At least these people, her people, appreciated her and all her hard work. Here she was accepted completely and without reservation. It was definitely a nice change.

/*/

"What do you mean Emerlyn's left the city?" Arthur demanded as he twirled around the tent to lock incredulous eyes with Gwen.

"Uh…Gaius said he may have upset her with her chore load. I'm sure she just went for a walk and will be back soon." Gwen tried to reassure the prince, but he just scowled at her.

"I didn't give her permission to leave! Who's going to help me with my armor?" Arthur demanded, irritated his servant had just disappeared without his permission. Had she lost her mind over the summer?

"I can help you, sire. My father was a blacksmith." The maid said hesitantly, moving to start getting said armor ready for wear.

Arthur huffed and strode over to stand at the ready, cursing Emerlyn for leaving him in such a situation. She'd have a lot of explaining to do when she showed herself again. For now, he needed to concentrate on beating Sir Leon and proving he was the better knight.

/*/

"Guinevere?" Gwen was startled out of her sweeping as the prince came into the small house.

"Just a minute." She responded, trying to quickly cover up the fact that she'd slept on her supply of grain the night before.

"Have you got a needle and thread? My shirt needs mending." Arthur said as he came towards her, face scrunching up in confusion when he saw where she was standing.

"Is this where you sleep? Where's your bed?" He questioned, having thought there'd be another one behind the screen.

"You're sleeping in it." Gwen replied.

"Why didn't you say something?"

"How could I? You're Prince Arthur and I am no Emerlyn. Besides, I didn't have a chance. You assumed the bed was yours." She said smartly.

"How will I know if you don't tell me?"

"You shouldn't need to be told not to be selfish. You're not a child." Gwen responded hotly before her eyes widened a little and she looked down at the floor.

"Is there anything else you'd like to say to me? Please. I'd like to hear it." Arthur said, not believing she'd actually had the nerve to say what she had.

"If there's something you want to say to me, don't let me stop you."

"You have no idea how rude and arrogant you can be. It's no wonder Emerlyn left the city, what with both you and Gaius demanding so much from her and giving nothing in return. This is _my_ home and you are my guest, something I did not have to agree to.

"But I did it for my friend, and then I get treated like a servant in my own home. I know you are used to more luxury and people waiting on you night and day, but that is not an excuse to be so rude. You say titles don't matter but you behave like a prince and expect us to wait on you like servants. Saying you want to be a better person by seeing others for their merit instead of their blood means nothing if your actions betray you.

"Would it kill you to say "Please" and "Thank you" once in a while? You take Emerlyn for granted every day, but she continues to do your bidding because she—you may say you see beyond rank, but you do not act as such. She's an amazing woman who adores you despite the way you treat her and the lack of respect you give her. We're human beings too and we deserve to be treated better than mere servants just because you were born into privilege. A good king should respect his people no matter who they are…my lord."

Gwen took a deep breath, eyes wide as she realized she'd just scolded the royal prince quite thoroughly. She just couldn't stand the way he treated her friend, and after living with him for the last couple of days, she was at her wits end with him.

"Is there anything else you'd like to add?" He asked in shock, having to fight down his first reaction to have her shackled for speaking such to him.

"No, I think that's it." Gwen mumbled, horrified she'd been so forward with the prince. But it'd needed to be said, as Arthur wasn't going to change unless he was made aware of his actions, as he was clearly oblivious.

Arthur watched her as she fidgeted, unsure what he was going to say or do. He wanted to be angry at her words, but as they settled into his mind, they had more than a note of truth in them. Had he really sent Emerlyn from the city just because of his behavior towards her? He hadn't thought they'd been in a bad space, as the last he'd seen her she'd left the house in a mood, but he'd thought she'd have gotten over it. Apparently not.

"You're right. You have invited me into your home and I have behaved appallingly."

"I didn't mean to make you feel bad."

"Really?" Arthur arched a brow and made Gwen laugh a little.

"Well, perhaps a little." She conceded, the two sharing a smile.

"There's no excuse. I will make it up to you. Tonight I will make diner for you. And when Emerlyn gets back, I'll apologize to her as well. I hadn't realized I'd mistreated her in such a way. You're a good friend to her, Guinevere." Arthur said, pulling her towards the door.

"You're going to cook me diner?" Gwen asked in astonishment.

"Yes, I am." Arthur confirmed. They came to a stop next to the door as the maid turned to stare at him.

"Have you ever cooked anything before?"

"Uh…well…" Gwen laughed.

"We'll make diner together. I'd rather not come back to my home on fire." Arthur's cheeks flushed as she moved away from the door and towards the stove.

"Really I'm sure I can—"

"It's alright, my lord. And this way I can show you how to cook a proper meal, so perhaps when Emerlyn comes back you might like to show her your new knowledge."

Arthur knew he should try to protest, but he also knew there was no way he could insist there wasn't anything going on between him and his servant. Unlike his father and others, Gwen was Emerlyn's best friend and it would've been highly unlikely she didn't know already.

"Very well." The prince stepped up next to Gwen, hoping this didn't end in disaster.

/*/

The two were interrupted by an urgent knocking on the door, sending the prince scurrying behind Gwen's dressing patrician as the maid grabbed at her plate and shoved it into a cupboard before smoothing down her dress and opening the door.

"My lady?" Gwen asked in confusion upon seeing Morgana standing on her threshold.

"May I come in?"

"O-Of course, my lady." Gwen moved out of the way, allowing the elite woman into her humble home. Morgana swept into the small room, her maid shutting the door quietly behind her.

"Where's Emerlyn and Arthur? I have urgent news."

"I thought they had left the city." Gwen replied as her eyes darted to where Arthur was hiding. The seer lowered her hood and gave the servant an arched brow.

"Emerlyn would never let Arthur leave the city without her and Arthur wouldn't miss the chance to win the tournament. I know he's somewhere in the city and I need to get word to him."

"What's wrong?" The two women turned at the prince's voice, Arthur stepping out from behind the divider and getting an eye roll from Morgana.

"There's an assassin in Camelot for you. I heard some guards talking about it. He was sent by Odin to kill you." Morgana explained, watching as the blonde man seemed to be weighed down suddenly.

"Why would Odin want you dead?" Gwen questioned, looking between the two royals in confusion.

"Because I killed his son. Odin's son challenged me to a fight. I had no quarrel with him. I asked him to withdraw. Perhaps he felt he had to prove himself. I still see his face. He looked so scared." Arthur explained quietly.

"You cannot blame yourself, sire." Gwen spoke up, getting a nod from Morgana.

"As long as you stay hidden, he shouldn't be able to find you, right?" The lady asked, getting a shrug in reply. It was clear that Arthur wasn't himself anymore, overwhelmed with the guilt he'd carried since that day heavy on his shoulders.

"May I continue to stay here?" Arthur questioned Gwen, knowing he was putting her in danger by remaining in place.

"If course. For as long as you need." The maid smiled gently, feeling bad for him.

"Thank you. I'll sleep on the floor tonight."

"No, have my bed. You need rest before the tournament."

"I will not hear of it. Good night." Arthur retorted before moving towards the back of the house.

"Good night, sire." Gwen said quietly.

"Where's Emerlyn?" Morgana finally questioned, not really wanting to voice her confusion over Arthur's behavior. It was really too late for such contemplation.

"She's gone on a little trip. Hopefully she'll return soon. For Arthur's sake." Gwen replied quietly, the two women moving towards the door.

"I'm sure she will; she'd never leave Arthur in danger. I'll see you tomorrow. Good night, Gwen."

"Good night, my lady." Gwen gave a little curtsy as Morgana stepped back outside, lifting her hood back up and hurrying back towards the castle.

The maid sighed before shutting the door, lowering the wood beam lock before moving over to her bed. She really did hope Emerlyn returned soon, or they might be without an heir to the throne.

/*/

Emerlyn rushed towards the tent Arthur had staggered into, having arrived back in Camelot only to see the prince nearly unhorsed by his opponent. Heart racing, she hurried through the tent's flaps, coming to a stop when she saw Gwen trying to stem the blood flow.

"Arthur!" She kneeled in front of him, blue eyes wide as she examined the wound through the chainmail.

"E-Emerlyn. You came back." The prince tried to smile, but his face was pinched in pain.

"Of course I did, you silly man. We need to stop the bleeding." The servant looked to Gwen, who gave a helpless shrug.

"Do what you can. I must return or I forfeit the match." Emerlyn glared up at him.

"How can you even…never mind. You're too pigheaded to see reason on a good day." She muttered angrily, pressing the gauze into the wound a little harder than was necessary, making Arthur groan.

"Emerlyn surely—"

"He's not going to listen, Gwen. The best we can do is block the flow until the match is over and Gaius can treat it." Emerlyn interrupted her friend, holding her hand out for a new wad of gauze, which the maidservant hesitantly put into her hand.

"I'm sorry for the way I treated you." Arthur said quietly as his servant tucked the cloth into his armor and against his chest.

"I'm used to it. Now go before you faint." Emerlyn helped him up, almost stumbling under his weight.

"I'm—I shouldn't treat you so poorly." The prince muttered as they staggered towards the exit and his horse.

"I overreacted a little, Arthur. You can be a prat. But that's just part of your charm." Arthur gave a little chuckle as they came to stand next to his horse. Taking a moment, he brought a hand up to push some strands of hair out of her face, which was strange as his face was covered by his helmet so she could only see his eyes.

"You're so beautiful, Emerlyn." Her cheeks flushed at the compliment, not used to such treatment.

"You're going to miss your shot at proving you're the best if don't go, Arthur." She said with a little smile, which he returned before turning and mounting the horse with only a little trouble.

"Good luck." The prince gave a light nod and held out his hand for the lance, which Emerlyn handed him.

As he got into position, Emerlyn scanned the other knight, feeling that something was off. Rhiannon had told her to trust her intuition and instincts, and they were telling her that there was something off with the man. Wanting to be in the best position to defend Arthur from whatever threat the other knight posed, Emerlyn moved to the bottom of the stands, ready to save him if need be.

/*/

"W-What in the world is this?" Emerlyn questioned as she came into Gwen's home, where she'd been told to meet Arthur. The prince was standing next to a set table that held two plates of chicken and potatoes and goblets of water.

"I wanted to show my appreciation for all you do for me. I know I can be…ungrateful and Gwen has pointed out my unacceptable behavior towards you, so I wanted you to know that I am thankful that you're my servant." Arthur shrugged uncomfortably, making the witch break out into a bright smile.

"Well that's…a change. Did Gwen cook this? It smells delicious." Emerlyn replied as Arthur pulled out her chair for her.

"Ah, actually I made it." Emerlyn's large eyes met his and she quirked a brow in disbelief.

"You cooked me dinner?" The prince took his own seat.

"Yes. Well...Guinevere made sure it was done, but I did all the work." Emerlyn knew her mouth was agape in disbelief, but she couldn't help it.

"I—thank you, Arthur. It means a lot that you'd make me dinner." The two smiled shyly at each other, both unsure of exactly how to proceed. This was new territory for them both.

"Let's eat."

**AN: Alright, so there's going to be a little time before the next update because I seriously need to get my TVD story updated, so that's my priority right now. But please review and let me know what you thought of the chapter as it's one of the longest I've done for this story and I'd appreciate the feedback. Thanks!**


	18. Chapter 18

**AN: You guys are so awesome by the way! Thanks for all the great reviews, I love them very much. =)**

BoleynGirl: Thanks so much! I thought Emerlyn's departure was well deserved; and since women are more emotional than men on most things, I thought it'd make sense for her to get fed up and need a breather. I also really liked Gwen standing up for Emerlyn, as girlfriends will usually always go to bat for their friends; especially against the boyfriend, lol. I hope you like this chapter!

Guests: I'm so glad you liked it!

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Merlin.**

Chapter 18: Forced Impersonation

Pulling on her leather leggings and a fitted tunic, Emerlyn quickly braided her hair before sliding into her boots. Moving over to her cupboard, she took out her High Priestess necklace and box of crystals, which she put under an illusion spell to hide before putting it in her bag. Clasping the necklace in place, the witch slid into her black cloak and pulled the hood up before leaving.

Taking care not to knock into anything, Emerlyn silently made her way through the main chamber until she successfully made it through the door, Gaius none the wiser in his slumber. First obstacle out of the way, she hurried towards the courtyard, relieved she'd timed it right so that the guards were changing shifts and there weren't any to be seen.

Spotting the shadowed figuring hiding behind a pillar, the witch made her way over, quickly covering the person's mouth before they could shout.

"Shh."

Morgana's pounding heart began to slow back down when she saw it was Emerlyn who'd snuck up on her. She opened her mouth to ask why she'd wanted to meet this late, but the servant held a finger to her lips for her to be silent before she took the noble's hand in hers and pressed the other to her amber necklace.

Silently gasping when she felt a strange warmth come over her, Morgana glanced around, eyes widening when she failed to find Emerlyn or even her own body. A thousand questions began swirling around her mind, but she bit her tongue to stay quiet as the witch led her by the hand out of the courtyard and down through the lower town until they finally made it out of the city.

Thankful the other woman had worn trousers and boots like she'd asked, Emerlyn pulled Morgana through the forest, never breaking contact so that they both remained invisible. The two walked for several minutes until they came to a small clearing, the witch finally pulling away once they'd reached their destination.

"What in the world was that? How'd you do that?" The questions burst from Morgana's mouth the minute the

"Hang on, I need to do something first."

Emerlyn sat her bag on the ground and pulled the box out. Instead of burying the crystals like she'd done for the druids, she simply placed them in a circle around the clearing, chanting a privacy spell as the last crystal was placed on the ground. Morgana gasped when a translucent dome appear above her head, covering the expense of the clearing.

"Alright, now no one will be able to see or hear us. The spell won't last for more than a couple of hours, as the crystals will lose charge since they're simple and not meant for prolonged use. My necklace was gift from my mentor and it allows the wearer to become undetectable, which comes in handy for times like this." Emerlyn said as she came back to where the seer was standing next to her bag, setting the wooden box on the ground before pulling out a candle.

"Oh. Right." Morgana mumbled, not really sure what to think anymore. She didn't know anything about magic, except that Uther thought it and its practitioners were evil, so she had no way of knowing what was possible or not.

"Last we spoke, you said you'd been able to meditate, correct?"

"Yes. It took a while, but I focused on my heart beat like you suggested and was eventually able to relax. I'm not sure how long it lasted, though, because I was alone and went straight to bed afterward." Morgana replied as she sat down next to Emerlyn, taking the candle she held out.

"It's still progress. Did you dream afterward?"

"I did. But it was different than normal. It was almost as if there was a barrier between the dream and I; it wasn't as scary and didn't startle me awake. I actually felt really refreshed the next morning."

"Good, that's really good. More than I expected, actually. Since you've been so successful on your seer abilities, I wanted to start training you to use magic willingly instead of it just happening accidentally." Emerlyn said and nodded towards the candle.

"W-what do you want me to do?"

"I want you to light the candle. I believe once you actively start using magic, you're seer powers will be easier to harness and hopefully you won't have to keep meditating."

"How do I light it?" Morgana asked, eyes trained on the small wick.

"The spell is _Bryne_ and you need to envision the wick bursting into a small flame. Once you've mastered the spell, you should be able to light it without needing to encant." Emerlyn said and waved her hand, causing Morgana to jump as the candle was suddenly alight before the witch waved her hand again and the flame was extinguished.

Morgana gave a determined nod before concentrating on the candle, slowly allowing the world to fall away until all she could see was the small white taper. Emerlyn pulled the tunic Arthur'd torn to begin mending it, content to let Morgana practice on her own until she needed help.

/*/

After an hour, the seer had been able to light the candle three times, much to her delight. It was a lot harder than she'd ever imagined it could be, which was a little frustrating since it was only a little wick and not a giant torch she was trying to light. But Emerlyn said she'd get better at it the more she practiced, so as long as she was discrete, Morgana planned to continue her training as often as possible.

After that, Emerlyn gathered up the crystals and snuck her back into the castle before heading back to bed, pleased Morgana had gotten some results. Seer were magical beings, but they didn't possess magic the way she did, so it was going to take time and practice for her to get better at it; Emerlyn just hoped she didn't push too hard too fast, as that would just lead to burn out. And then Morgana would get really frustrated as it'd take twice as long for her to learn if that happened.

/*/

"What're we doing out here again?" Emerlyn rolled her eyes at Arthur's question, as it'd been the fifth time he'd asked it in the last ten minutes.

"I told you. I need to collect the ingredients for my soap. You didn't have to come, Arthur." She muttered as she scanned the small stream, smiling when she saw the purple flowers she'd been searching for.

"Why don't you just by soap?"

"Because I like mine and I can make it for free. We all don't have an unlimited source of gold and must be selective in what we spend it on." Arthur sighed and leaned against a tree as she started collecting the flowers, storing them in the empty jug that'd held her head soap.

"How'd you learn to make soap anyway?"

"It's surprising what one has to teach themselves when they live in an outlying village. We rarely got traveling vendors since Ealdor doesn't lie on the main travel road, so we had to make do with what we could. It took a few months for me to get the right balances of ingredients so the soap actually cleans the hair instead of just perfuming it, but I eventually got it right." Emerlyn explained as she picked the last flower she needed.

"You never cease to surprise me." She gave a small grin as she capped the jug and sat it down next to her jacket.

"Was that a compliment, my lord?" Emerlyn arched a brow as she smirked. Arthur reached out and grabbed her wrist, jerking her until she stumbled against him, hands coming up to his chest to steady herself.

"No, 'course not. Merely an observation." The prince murmured, earning an eye roll, before he tilted her head back so he could capture her lips with his.

Sliding her arms around his neck, Emerlyn pressed herself against him, lips parting to allow his tongue access. Arthur's large hands slid around her waist, one settling on her back while the other trailed up to tug the ribbon from her braid. Once it was free, his fingers worked the strands free until the lush curls spilled over his hand and he could hold the back of her head properly.

Emerlyn tugged on Arthur's broad shoulders, walking back as she pulled him away from the tree. Taking the hint, he broke the kiss so he could scan the ground to make sure there weren't any large rocks or anything before pulling his tunic above his head.

Before he could do the same to her, Emerlyn'd already whipped her own form fitting shirt off and tossed it onto her jacket, leaving her in only her breastbag, which was also quickly removed to leave her exposed. Arthur gently pushed her to the ground, lips caught in hers once more, making the servant moan as she eased herself down onto the soft grass.

Pulling away, the blonde skimmed a hand over her neck and down, cupping a pert breast and rubbing the pebbled tip with his thumb. Emerlyn gave a little sigh as her back arched a little, teeth tugging at her bottom lip as her hooded eyes watched him, her own hands tracing patterns on any skin she could reach.

"You're beautiful." He murmured, making her cheeks flush and a shy smile to grace her lips before she leaned up to gently nip at his mouth. The two shared another passionate kiss before once more parting, Arthur's lips trailing down her face and onto her neck, zeroing in on the spot he'd found that could make the most fascinating sound emerge from Emerlyn.

Shuddering as her heart raced and desire pulsed through her body, the ebony haired beauty arched her body even more, gripping his shoulders tightly as her eyes closed and her head fell back to expose more of her neck. She took the opportunity to work her boots off, thankful she'd worn the short ones as it'd be a pain trying to get the knee high ones off in this position.

Arthur was pushed back after a couple of minutes, a mischievous expression on Emerlyn's face as she pushed him to the ground so that he was the one sitting. She made quick work of his belt and trouser ties, the prince lifting his hips to help her pull the pants off along with his shoes. He watched as she dropped her own leggings and stepped out of them before smirking down at him as she slowly lowered herself down, her knees on either side of his thighs.

Sliding her hands over his cheeks, Emerlyn titled his head back to she could kiss him again, her head beginning to buzz as her neither regions throbbed. Arthur skimmed his hands up her thighs and around to her back, pulling her against him until he could feel the heat of her against his manhood.

Reaching down, Emerlyn continued to plunder his mouth as she gripped the hard shaft and lined it up, not needing any more preparation as she was already slick with want. When they were aligned, she didn't hesitate, plunging down on him in one go until he was completely sheathed inside her, the two both moaning into the kiss.

Arthur tugged on her hair until her mouth broke away from his so he could lap at the sensitive skin of her neck once more. Emerlyn started moving her hips, strong thigh muscles flexing with each upward movement; the prince's hands come to rest on her hips, aiding in her movements. The two set a fast, almost brutal, pace; they'd had plenty of slow and gentle and just wanted to be together while they could.

Hands gripping his shoulders tightly, Emerlyn panted as she rode him, her body hypersensitive and responding to his every touch. Tugging on his hair, she forced his head back so she could kiss him again, the feeling of being connected in every possible way heightening her pleasure even more, until she could feel her belly tightening.

When those delicious inner muscles began to clench around him, Arthur sped up his thrusts, both to reach his own release and to draw hers out. He smirked against her lips when a gasp and moan sounded from her throat, body working furiously against his own.

Feeling his own release approaching, Arthur reached down to circle the little bud at the top of her cleft, making Emerlyn jerk away from him with a loud mewl, her nails digging into his flesh harshly as stars exploded behind her eyes. Satisfied with himself, he gave a few more hard thrusts before succumbing himself, grunting as fire raced through his entire body.

Emerlyn's head fell limply to his shoulder as she tried to catch her breath, body slick with sweat. Arthur's body relaxed as he held her to him, the aftershocks slowly melting away and his heart slowing to a normal pulse.

"We should head back before the king comes looking for you." The servant murmured against his skin, hair and breathe both softly tickling him. He just hummed in reply, nose buried in her fragrant curls, not wanting to have to head back already.

"C'mon." She said after a few more minutes, pulling away from him and getting to her feet, proud her legs didn't buckle from sitting in that position for so long. Arthur pouted as the witch wandered over to the stream to splash herself with water, trying not to blush as she cleaned herself of any evidence of their coupling.

Sighing, the prince stood and started pulling his clothes back on, knowing she was right. Since he wasn't out on a hunting trip or scouting mission, Uther would wonder where he'd gotten to, especially since he wasn't with his knights. And the king would not look kindly on their relationship, that he was certain of.

It was just as important to keep it a secret as also never revealing Emerlyn had magic, as both would end terribly for his servant.

/*/

Morgana watched in amusement as Emerlyn and Arthur interacted, smirking whenever their fingertips would brush and the witch would blush. Uther, thankfully, was unawares, discussing the knights' training with the prince, completely missing the little flirtation happening right before him.

"How soon until the final examination?" The king asked as he held up his goblet, signaling he needed a refill. Stepping forward, Emerlyn grabbed the pitcher that held the spiced wine and poured him another glass, catching Arthur watching her out of the corner of her eye.

"Arthur?" The prince's eyes jumped back to his father, who was giving him a questioning look.

"W-…uh, soon. Perhaps in the next few weeks." Arthur said, face tinting a light pink at being caught in his distraction. Emerlyn bit her lip to keep from snickering as she switched out the wine for water and refilled both Arthur and Morgana's goblets; the latter gave her an amused look.

"Good, we could use them. I'm sure Odin will try something else, since his assassin was unsuccessful." Uther muttered, glaring at plate, wanting nothing more than to drive a sword through Odin's chest for trying to have his son killed.

"The men will be ready for anything, father." Arthur said, getting a nod from the king as his eyes trailed over to land on his servant, who was standing slightly behind and to the side of Uther.

"My pilgrimage to my father's grave hasn't been canceled, has it?" Morgana questioned, drawing Uther's attention.

"No, of course not. The guards escorting you should be capable of protecting you."

"Great. Emerlyn, I was hoping you'd join Gwen and me for the trip?" The witch's eyes widened as she glanced over at her, not sure what had prompted the request.

"Uh…of course, my lady. I'd be honored." She replied after a moment, eyes flicking over to see Arthur giving the seer a questioning look, also wondering why she'd ask for his servant to accompany her.

"Great. We leave mid-morning tomorrow. You'll be able to manage for the day, right Arthur?" She quirked a dark brow at him, lips pulled into an amused smirk.

"Yes, I'm sure I'll manage." Arthur bit out, glaring at her and just getting another smirk in reply.

She highly doubted it, as the prince had become extremely dependent on his servant, especially ever since she'd returned. Even though she wouldn't be able to witness it, Morgana knew it'd be very entertaining to see him struggle to do without Emerlyn. She was just sad she was going to miss it.

/*/

Arthur straightened Morgana's red cloak over the horse, eyes wandering over to where a guard was helping Emerlyn up into her saddle. He didn't like the way the man's eyes darted down when her skirt's splits allowed her boots and bare thighs to become exposed, the hilts of her daggers shinning in the early morning sunlight.

He wasn't sure where she'd gotten these new outfits of hers, but they were too provocative for his tastes, especially when she was around other men; it was equally as frustrating that she refused to listen to him and kept wearing them whenever they left the city, no matter who was in their company.

Emerlyn glanced over at him and gave a little eye roll at his look, shifting on the saddle to get more comfortable as she thanked the guard for helping her. She flicked her braid over her shoulder so it was out of the way and grabbed the reins, watching as Gwen was also helped up onto her horse, grinning when the bashful maid blushed at the assistance.

"I hope your trip isn't too upsetting." Arthur said, tearing his eyes away from Emerlyn and walking so he could look up at Morgana.

"Thank you, Arthur." She smiled at him and he gave a small nod before turning to address the guards.

"Ensure you return to Camelot before dusk."

"Yes, sire." One of the knights that was in the party said, giving a small bow before nudging his mount to begin moving with his heels.

Arthur watched as they departed, eyes catching Emerlyn's when she glanced over her shoulder, giving him a little smile before she turned forward again. It was strange to see her leaving the city without him, as they'd been practically inseparable since she'd returned.

But he'd get over it. It wasn't like he was dependent on her or anything. Because he wasn't. At all.

/*/

"I'm glad to see things looking well for you, Em." Morgana murmured, sending the other raven haired beauty a smirk as the girl's cheeks lightly flushed. The witch glanced around at the knights, seeing the slight twitches of their own lips; she sighed, knowing they really did need to be more careful or the king was surely going to find out about them.

"For you as well, my lady. You look well rested." She returned, expertly shifting the conversation and catching Gwen's attention. She knew there was something going on between the two women that she wasn't aware of and just hoped that they'd fill her in soon, as she was really starting to feel left out.

"Yes, my lady, I've also noticed you seem to be getting more rest. Do the nightmares not plague you any longer?" Gwen questioned with a small smile.

"No, they don't, thank goodness." Morgana answered with her own smile, hating she hadn't been able to rile Emerlyn up some more. The witch was really amusing when she got embarrassed, after all.

Their conversation was interrupted when the air was suddenly filled with shouting and a group of men, both on horse and foot, were rushing down both sides of the hills that surrounded the path. They instantly started attacking the surprised knights, wasting no time in killing those they saw as threats.

"GO! Get out of here!" Emerlyn shouted over the noise as she jumped from her mount and pulled her daggers out, headed towards one of the men on their feet.

"My ladies, you must follow me…" A knight said before he was suddenly falling forward, a crossbow bolt through his back and both women were being pulled from their horses. Emerlyn gritted her teeth and slammed her knee into her target's stomach, causing him to bend over and allowing her the opportunity to stab him, moving away before his body even hit the ground.

"Go!" Emerlyn shouted again, grabbing Morgana's arm and pulling her up one of the hills, Gwen right behind them. But they hadn't even crested the hill before they were surrounded by more men, one with his lower face covered jumping from his horse to approach them.

"Emerlyn, do something." Morgana whispered, eyes jumping from man to man. Emerlyn surged forward, taking out two of the surrounding men with her daggers through their throats before she spun around, kicking out at the man next to her. She didn't want to use magic as long as her fighting skills could be used, as she didn't want to know about her, just in case.

"Feisty one we have here." The leader said, pulling his face covering down to smirk.

The man she'd kicked staggered back as two others moved forward to restrain her, narrowly missing getting slashed themselves. They grabbed the weapons from her hands, but Emerlyn didn't let that deter her; she pushed up off the ground with her feet, using the momentum to flip her body backwards and breaking the men's hold.

Kicking out at the backs of a knee, there was a satisfying crunch as the man fell forward and she grabbed the other man's head, banging it against a tree with all her strength, the man sliding down to the ground, knocked out. Snatching her daggers from their hands, she turned and threw them at another man, smirking when he gasped in pain before stumbling and falling, dead before his head hit the ground.

Getting frustrated with the fact that this little woman was taking out his men, the leader signaled to another, who raised his axe and bashed the blunt side against the back of the witch's head. Morgana and Gwen gasped when their friend suddenly crumpled, her dark hair slick with blood.

"I am Uther Pendragon's ward. He will have your heads if any harm comes to me." Morgana said, throat tight with fear. She didn't understand why Emerlyn hadn't simply used her magic, but now there was no hope of her saving them from whatever this man wanted.

"I have no intention of harming you, at least not yet. You're much more valuable to me alive, Lady Morgana." The man gave a little smug bow of the head before smiling.

"Tie them up. We leave for camp now." He ordered, amused when the women tried to struggle against the bandits.

"What about her?" The leader glanced over at the spitefire's slumped figure.

"Bring her along. We can get good coin for one so spirited." The man nodded before he slung Emerlyn's limp body over his shoulder and started towards his horse, the women being pulled behind them, their wrists tied by rope.

"D-do you think she's alright?" Gwen asked as they were tugged along, her worry for Emerlyn consuming her.

"Yes, I'm sure she's fine." Morgana tried to reassure, even though she was worried just as much. Emerlyn had to be okay. She just had to be.

/*/

"He's coming. You know what you must do?" Morgana questioned as the leader headed towards their tent.

"I do. But what of Emerlyn?" Gwen asked, glancing over at the still unconscious woman.

"I'm positive that if she doesn't have us to save, she'll be able to escape with ease." The two shared a look, Gwen's eyes widening slightly at the insinuation that the lady knew about the witch's secret.

"Okay." Gwen nodded and they backed away from the tent opening. She might not like the thought of leaving Emerlyn, especially when she was knocked out, but she also knew that she would have a much easier time slipping away by herself. She just hoped that the witch woke up before the bandits tried to kill her.

/*/

Arthur jumped off his horse when they came to the sight where there had obviously been a struggle, his knights scattered across the path, dead.

"Check to see if anyone's alive." Arthur ordered.

"Sire." He turned to see one of his men bent over a body, a piece of parchment in his hands.

"What is it?"

"A ransom note. They've taken the Lady Morgana hostage." The knight revealed.

"Sire." The prince turned at the call, spotting Sir Richard up on the hill, where there were more bodies scattered. Heading towards him, Arthur was surprised the victims seemed to be mercenaries.

"What is it?" He questioned, stopping next to the knight, who was standing over a body that had two daggers in its chest. Two very familiar daggers. Crouching down, Arthur pulled the blades free, his gut clenching when he saw they were in deed Emerlyn's new weapons.

"They certainly put up a fight." Sir Richard said, examining the bodies, knowing it was most likely Emerlyn or Morgana who'd done the fighting.

"Yes. Now let's find them." Arthur replied, wiping the blades the dead man's shirt before heading back towards the road, eyes searching for signs of further movement, Emerlyn's daggers gripped tightly in his hand.

"The tracks lead off this way." He announced, spotting the boot marks and quickly moving off, his men hurrying behind him, weapons drawn.

They made their way through the trees, Arthur exchanging his sword for a cross bow when he heard rustling leaves and the sound of pounding feet. Taking a breath behind a tree, he lifted the weapon and jumped from his hiding spot, shocked when it was Morgana who came crashing through the trees, face dirty and bloody, dressed in only her shift.

"A-Arthur!" Morgana said, heart pounding from her dash as relief surged through her. The prince lowered his weapon as he glanced around, not hearing any following footsteps.

"Where's Guinevere and Emerlyn?" He asked, making the lady shake her head as she tried to catch her breathe. Gut clenching tightly, Arthur stepped forward until he was next to her, dropping the crossbow so he could grip her shoulders.

"Where is Emerlyn, Morgana?" He asked again, eyes boring into her frightened ones.

"T-They still have her." She stuttered, guilt surging through her at the look he gave her, as if he couldn't believe she'd actually left his servant behind.

"C'mon, they couldn't have gotten far." Arthur called out, picking the crossbow back up and starting towards where Morgana had come from.

"Sire? Shouldn't we return the Lady Morgana? And there's no telling how many men he has." Sir Leon said, knowing the king would not take kindly to them continuing on when his ward obviously needed to see Gaius.

Arthur gritted his teeth in anger, but gave a tense nod and led Morgana back towards the horses, knowing his man was right. If they just barged in with the small number they had, they might be sorely outnumbered and be killed. He hated leaving Emerlyn out there, at the mercy of mercenaries, no matter what kind of power she had. He'd kill them all if she was hurt, that he would make certain of.

/*/

"How could you let her escape?" Kendrick demanded angrily as the men shoved Gwen onto her knees in front of him. She watched as he kicked at a pot, clearly enraged.

"You bring e this servant. She is worthless to us!" He yelled, making the maid flinch as he drew closer to her. Her heart pounded in her ears, almost drowning out all other noises as she felt fear grip her tightly.

"Bring me the other one." Kendrick ordered, his mind whirling as he tried to come up with a plan that wouldn't lead to his death.

Gwen watched as a mercenary trudged into the tent before reappearing a few minutes later, a groggy Emerlyn held tightly against him to prevent her from attacking. Although, if the dazed look was anything to go by, she was far from able to even contemplate fighting.

Emerlyn grunted when she was shoved down next to Gwen, her head throbbing painfully with every movement. She could feel her magic rising up to start mending the gash on the inside, slowly lessening the pain and clearing her head until she could properly think.

Kendrick paced in front of the two women, examining each of their faces before pressing Morgana's red cloak and purple gown into Emerlyn's hands.

"Here. Put them on." He demanded. The witch glanced down at the clothes before looking back up with an arched brow.

"Why? I happen to like what I'm wearing." She said snidely, making Gwen's eyes widen at her gall to talk smart when they were in this situation.

"Hengist has never met the Lady Morgana. For all he knows, you could be Uther Pendragon's ward. And you look close enough to her to pass for the rumored beauty." Kendrick answered.

"I will not impersonate the Lady Morgana." Emerlyn said, titling her head back and glaring at the man. The leader smirked at her before suddenly having his sword pointed directly at Gwen's throat, making the woman gasp and tilt her head back, trying to get away from the blade.

"Then I will kill your friend and you here and now. What's it going to be?" Glaring, Emerlyn gave a tense nod, sighing when the metal was removed from Gwen's throat.

"And don't even think about trying to escape, as I'll slit her throat." He promised, getting a glare in response as his men lifted her back to her feet and shoved her towards the tent, Gwen being dragged behind them.

/*/

"How can you be so heartless? Gwen and Emerlyn are the most loyal people you'd ever meet. Are you really going to leave them with those animals? I thought Emerlyn meant more to you then that!" Morgana said angrily as she barged into the prince's room, glaring at the blonde man.

"Morgana…" Arthur started as he shoved a tunic into a bag.

"Have you no shame? Do you only think of yourself? I thought you'd changed into a better man because of Emerlyn, but apparently not!"

"Morgana…"

"I didn't know you were a gutless coward, Arthur Pendragon."

"Morgana! Perhaps if you stopped shouting at me for one second, you would notice that I am packing." Arthur said, lifting his bag to demonstrate as he shoved a rolled up loaf into it. Morgana blushed a little and looked down, shame filling her.

"You're going after them?"

"Of course I'm going after them. What do you take me for? I couldn't disagree with father in public." Arthur responded as there was a knock on the door before Sir Leon stuck his head inside.

"Sire, I'm ready to leave."

"Good, we leave immediately." The prince nodded and walked by Morgana, slinging his packs over his shoulder.

"Arthur…bring them home."

He gave a nod before following his best knight out of the room, thankful he had one so loyal to him. The knight hadn't hesitated to agree to the mission, even knowing that the king had been against it; Emerlyn was important to all of them, even if on a different level then with the prince. They'd stop at nothing to rescue her, as they knew she'd do the same for any of them.

/*/

"May I present the Lady Morgana." Kendrick said as Hengist approached Emerlyn's hooded form before giving a sarcastic bow. He pulled the hood down, making the witch glare at him and edge away from him, not wanting the disgusting man to touch her.

"Oh. You are as beautiful as they say, Lady Morgana."

"You're flattery is wasted on me, Hengist. I demand you release me and my maid immediately!" She said, her voice filling with authority. Gwen's eyes widened a little, never having heard her friend speak in such a manner, but thankful it helped her appear as a noble.

"Just as soon as Uther Pendragon pays your ransom. In the meantime, you will be my guest."

"I doubt your guests are so horribly treated as I have been. If they were, I doubt you'd get any reoccurring guests. I am your prisoner." She spat, blue eyes shooting fire at him.

"As you wish. Take her and her maid to the dungeon." Emerlyn had to resist the urge to punch the smug bastard in the face as they were drug away. She'd not risk Gwen's life just to satisfy her need. Besides, the longer the man thought her a helpless woman, the longer she had to come up with a plan of escape.

/*/

Emerlyn scowled at the drunken spectacle she was made to witness, glaring whenever Kendrick would catch my eye, the two of us knowing how horrible things were going to get when Uther refused to pay the ransom. Not that I'd let Gwen or myself be put in real danger, no matter who I had to reveal myself to.

"Silence!" Hengist shouted as he stood, the hall soon falling into a quieter rumble.

"Our royal guest, Lady Morgana, has grown bored." Emerlyn jerked away from the sweaty hand that was suddenly on her shoulder, skin crawling at the touch.

"She needs entertaining." He laughed and everyone joined in, making both Gwen and Emerlyn share a look of worry, wondering what could cause these barbarians such amusement. Their attention was pulled to the circular cell that was against a wall, the gate lifting to admit a heavily muscled man, brandishing a sword and getting the crowd to cheer.

"Bring on the challenger!" Hengist shouted in glee.

Emerlyn's hand dropped to land on Gwen's knee in shock when the smaller figure came into the little arena, her breath catching. Gwen's eyes were as wide as saucers, her hand gripping the witch's tightly, trying to fight off the need to surge to her feet in alarm.

Lancelot's gaze locked on the two of them, disbelief quickly filling his eyes. What in the world were they doing there? How'd Hengist gotten his hands on them? Why did he want them? Why was Emerlyn wearing such a fine dress? What was going on?

"Only one of you will emerge from the cage alive. Do you accept the challenge?" Lancelot gave a little bow, eyes flicking back over to the women before turning to face his opponent.

Gwen's short nails dug into her hand as the fight started, her fear for Lancelot almost choking her. Emerlyn wasn't as concerned, knowing first-hand how amazing the disgraced knight was with a sword, no matter who his opponent. When he allowed the man to live, her lips stretched into a small smile, glad that even in the midst of this hellhole, he still had his honor.

"What is your name?" The leader questioned as he tossed a money pouch at the victor.

"My name is Lancelot."

"You have proved yourself to be a skillful warrior. I believe you may have even impressed our royal guest, Lady Morgana." Lancelot glanced at Emerlyn before giving a slight bow of the head.

"My Lady." Before Hengist could continue, the witch stood, confident the brute wouldn't harm her as long as he believed her valuable.

"Yes, it has been far too long since I've seen a man with such skill, Lancelot. As is customary, I'd like to offer you a token for your victory." She said firmly before arching a brow at Hengist, who just gave a careless shrug, knowing she was surrounded and couldn't possibly escape.

Picking up her skirts, Emerlyn edged her way around the table until she was standing before her friend. Motioning for him to bend down, she placed her lips against his prickly cheek.

"We're in the dungeons." She whispered quietly against his skin, confident he heard her when he gave another bow.

"You honor me, my Lady." She have a little nod before returning to her seat.

"Next time you fight, do not expect any mercy. Release the wilddeoren." Hengist called out, his men pulling the gate up once more, this time releasing a ghastly, hairless giant rat thing that was positively disgusting.

Emerlyn covered her mouth and looked in away as the food she'd eaten threatened to come back up; Gwen and Lancelot both looked away as well, all three of them disgusted with the entire ordeal. There was no doubt that Hengist and his men were complete barbarians.

/*/

"Gwen. Emerlyn." The two glanced up towards a grate before Emerlyn nodded for Gwen to step forward.

"Lancelot."

"I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw you."

"I thought my mind was deceiving me."

"Why does Hengist thing Emerlyn's Lady Morgana?" Gwen glanced back at her friend before turning back to the man who'd stolen her heart.

"He believes he is holding Morgana to ransom." Emerlyn tugged on Gwen's sleeve so she could also see the man.

"When he figures out his mistake, he'll definitely want to kill us."

"I will not allow that to happen."

"Oh, there's no possible way for that to happen, that I'm certain of."

"Why…why haven't you tried to escape?"

"I know Arthur will be on his way and it would look suspicious if I was able to escape. But now that you're here, it'll be more plausible that you were able to aid us."

"What do you need me to do?"

"I was giving Arthur another day or two to get closer to the fortress. Then when I give you the word, I want you to get Gwen out of here."

"What about you."

"I'll be fine, Lancelot. I cannot leave without my clothes."

"You're worried about some clothes?" Gwen demanded in disbelief.

"They're not just any random garments, Gwen. They have spells infused in the very stitching and they cannot be replicated." Lancelot's eyes grew wide at her words, glancing between the two.

"Gwen…she knows?"

"Oh, yeah, I forgot to mention Lancelot knows about me. But that's not important right now. I must find my outfit before I can leave. So just get Gwen to safety and I'll meet up with you." Lancelot touched the fingertips of Gwen, whose hand was clenched around the iron grating.

"Of course, you have my word." Emerlyn gave a smile and nod before she stepped back, wanting to give the two some privacy.

She hated that she felt a stab of jealousy in her gut, knowing now really wasn't the time for petty feelings. She needed to focus her magic so she could locate her garment so she could make a quick dash for it whenever the escape plan began.

/*/

The two women shot to their feet when the door to the cell was suddenly pushed open, revealing Lancelot's scruffy face.

"We haven't a moment to lose." He said.

"Great job, Lancelot. Now, get Gwen and yourself to safety. I'll get my clothes and meet you on the outside." Emerlyn said as she headed towards the door, being stopped by a hand reaching out for her arm.

"Em—"

"I'll be fine Gwen, I promise. You know I'll be able to get out unharmed as long as you both make it out." The witch reassured, quickly pulling the maid into a hug before she dashed out of the cell. Gwen shared a look with Lancelot before taking his hand and following him, hoping they all made it to safety.

Coming to a stop, Emerlyn closed her eyes and focused her magic, allowing it to escape her body like a living, breathing entity. It searched through the fortress, trying to pinpoint the low pulsing her garments produced, confident Hengist wasn't one to allow magic, so her clothes would be emitting the only pulsing in the castle.

It took a few seconds, but she finally found what she was looking for and took off, hating Morgana's dress and debating just ripping the skirt open. But if she could get her friend back the gown, she'd try, as she knew it was one of Morgana's favorites.

Knowing time was of the essence, the witch resorted to knocking any guards or passersby she saw out with a jolt of magic, not wanting to waste time fighting her way through the castle. She didn't know if it was pure luck or grand design, but she didn't have to actually travel that far before she was at the room her clothing was locked away in.

Pushing the unlocked door open, Emerlyn was met with the sight of a very poorly dressed woman shuffling through a pile of clothes. She was dressed like a courtesan and the witch had to guess she'd been given access to the selection for her…services. When she pulled the small jacket of Emerlyn's outfit, she made her presence known.

"That's mine." The woman twirled around, eyes going a little wide at the sight of her.

"How…you're escaping!" She gasped, never having actually seen anyone get away from Hengist.

"Yes, I am. Now hand me those garments and I won't hurt you."

Emerlyn nodded towards the dark purple jacket and the dress that went with it. She'd been lucky that they'd allowed her to keep her boots, as they hadn't had any shoes for her to wear. There must have been a glint in her eye or the woman noted how serious the prisoner was, as she hesitantly handed over the clothing.

"Is there a bag in here?" The black haired beauty asked as she scanned the room.

"Uh…yeah." The courtesan said and pointed to a small satchel that was on the floor near the door.

"Thanks." Emerlyn said and picked that bag up and pulled the purple gown off and stuffed it into the satchel. She then made quick work of changing into her personal garments, feeling more at ease once she was in them, even though she was missing her daggers. She nodded to the woman before leaving, thankful she hadn't had to result to hurting her.

As Emerlyn was running down the corridors, she started to get concerned that there weren't any guards anymore. She'd have thought with their escape from the dungeons that the castle would be swarming with people looking for them, but it was eerily quiet.

Feeling dread like a lead ball in her stomach, the witch doubled back, heading towards the main hall, which proved to be the right decision as the loud noise coming from the hall began to sound the closer she got.

Edging her way into the room, Emerlyn silently groaned when she was able to make out Lancelot and Gwen in the cage, having apparently been caught. Glancing around, she spotted a discarded sword on a table, the owner already drooling in his drunkenness. Swiping the weapon, the witch got ready to save her friends, glad the room was crowded to hide her presence.

"What do you say?" She looked over as Hengist stood from his seat.

"Shall I spare them?" He asked in amusement, getting loud laughter in reply from everyone in the room before the all began to chant 'Kill!'

"Your friend may have escaped, but I promise you, when I find her, she'll suffer just as greatly as you. Release the wilddeoren!" He yelled, getting loud cheering from his people once more. Cursing, Emerlyn quickly propelled herself into the arena as the rat like creature was allowed into the cage.

"Emerlyn!" Gwen's eyes were wide in fright and hope. The witch gave a little smile before cutting through their restraints and tossed Lancelot the sword.

"Come to join your friends in death then?" Hengist asked with a laugh as he saw her. She hated she couldn't focus on him, because she'd love to show him what she was capable of. Instead she focused on the issue at hand, trying to protect Gwen while Lancelot slashed at the beast.

This became a lot easier when they were joined by two armor clad men, the princely cap of blonde hair on one of them making Emerlyn smile. She knew he'd come for her. Knowing she couldn't reveal her magic, Emerlyn moved behind the men to stand next to Gwen, admiring the way they fought.

Her attention was pulled to Hengist when she saw he'd pulled a crossbow and was preparing to shoot one of the men, Arthur most likely. Glancing around, she spotted a chandelier and quickly had it crashing to the floor; cursing when the mercenary moved out of the way and drew a sword.

"The tunnel. It's our only chance." Arthur said when he saw the thug was headed their way.

"After them!" Hengist shouted as the group backed up towards the tunnel.

"Take the women. I'll hold them off." Lancelot shouted.

"No!" Gwen yelled in fear before Sir Leon was pulling on her elbow.

"We have to go!" He said and began dragging her down the tunnel.

Arthur turned to Emerlyn just in time to see her hold her hand up and chant something, the rope holding the gate up snapping and trapping the men in the cage with the animal. He turned quickly so she didn't see he'd seen, messing with his sword as loud screeching filled the air, along with Hengist's screams.

"C'mon, before his men try to stop us!" The prince shouted over the noise, tugging on Emerlyn's hand to get her to start running. He saw the flash of fear fill her face, clearly not sure if he'd seen her use magic or not, but she followed him none the less.

They made it to a grate, where Sir Leon and Gwen were waiting, the latter hugging Lancelot tightly when they appeared before letting go in embarrassment. Emerlyn grinned at her and quirked a brow, making the woman flush and look away.

"It's good to see you both. Where're the rest of your knights?" Lancelot questioned after he'd gotten over the shock of Gwen's embrace.

"It's just us. We've got to keep moving." The prince said once he'd gotten the grate to open. They all headed out, knowing they needed to put as much as space between them and the bandits.

/*/

"We'll make camp here tonight and then get to our horses tomorrow." Arthur announced once they reached a suitable spot.

"I'll go collect firewood." Emerlyn said before moving away, smiling at how close Gwen and Lancelot were standing.

"I'll help you." She arched a brow at Arthur's words but just shrugged, wanting to appear nonchalant. The two made their way into the trees, the prince making sure they were out of eyesight before he pulled his servant to him, holding her to him tightly.

"I'm glad you're alright." He mumbled against her hair, making her smile as she wrapped her arms around his waist.

"I never had a doubt you'd come for us." She replied and Arthur tilted her head back so he could capture her lips in a kiss, making her sigh in happiness. She'd never actually feared not seeing him again, but it was still nice to be with him.

"We need to collect fire wood." She whispered when they broke apart.

Arthur nodded before kissing her again, his relief in her being safe overwhelming. Sure, he'd known she'd probably not been in any real danger, especially not with how she took out Hengist's men, but he still liked that she was safe once more. She really did get into too much trouble. But that was one of the things he loved about her.

**AN: Okay, I know the episode had more, but I thought this was a good way to end it since not much would've been changed anyway. I apologize for any errors as I still don't have a beta. **

**Please be awesome and review. I'm actually hoping we can hit 200 soon, as that'd be amazing. Thanks!**


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